Ardent Health Services Appoints Kevin Gross to Lead Oklahoma Division & Hillcrest HealthCare System

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Kevin J. Gross has been named president of the Oklahoma Division for Ardent Health Services and chief executive officer (CEO) of Hillcrest HealthCare System (HHS), beginning June 28.  Gross previously served in this position from August 2004 to February 2006.

Gross has more than 30 years of experience, working with all sectors of the hospital industry.  He most recently served as senior vice president for Hospital Operations for RehabCare Group, Inc.  Gross has led hospitals, health systems and entire divisions for investor-owned hospital companies and not-for-profit entities.   In his career, he has served as president and CEO of United Regional Health Care System in Wichita Falls, Texas; St. Luke's Medical Center, part of the HealthONE System, in Denver, Colo.; and Northwest Texas Healthcare System in Amarillo, Texas; as well as president of HCA's Midwest Division.

"Kevin is a strong and proven leader in the health care industry," said David T. Vandewater, president and CEO of Ardent Health Services.  "His leadership, experience and expertise will be a tremendous benefit to our patients, our physicians and our employees within Hillcrest HealthCare System.  We are excited about his return."

Gross earned his bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. and a MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Ardent Health Services invests in quality health care. In people, technology, facilities and communities, Ardent makes considerable investments – producing high quality care and extraordinary results.  Based in Nashville, Tenn., Ardent's subsidiaries own and operate eight hospitals, a health plan, a multi-specialty physician group and a nationally-recognized medical laboratory in two states.

HHS has approximately 5,000 employees and more than 750 physicians with staff privileges in its network. HHS includes Hillcrest Medical Center, Oklahoma Heart Institute, Kaiser Rehabilitation Center, Peggy V. Helmerich Women's Health Center, Bailey Medical Center, Cushing Regional Hospital and Henryetta Medical Center. HHS also includes the Utica Park Clinic physician group with more than 120 providers in more than 20 locations across northeastern Oklahoma. For more information about HHS, please go to www.todayshillcrest.com.

SOURCE Ardent Health Services