New Jersey Attorney General and Department of Health Deem Prime Healthcare's Application Complete to Purchase St. Mary's Hospital

PASSAIC, N.J. and ONTARIO, Calif., Dec. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Health have deemed the Community Health Care Assets Protection Act ("CHAPA") and the Certificate of Need ("CON") applications for Prime Healthcare Services to acquire St. Mary's Hospital in Passaic, New Jersey complete. The decision by the Attorney General and the Department of Health clears the way for public hearings and final approval of the transaction.

"We want to thank the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Health for their thorough review of the application and for the time and resources they have dedicated to it," said Prem Reddy, MD, FACC, FCCP, Chairman, President, and CEO of Prime Healthcare. "We hope that the rest of the approval process for St. Mary's, as well as the other New Jersey hospitals we have signed Asset Purchase Agreements (APAs) with, St. Michael's and St. Clare's, will proceed smoothly."

"I want to thank everybody that assisted St. Mary's through this approval process," said Edward J. Condit, President and CEO of St. Mary's Hospital. "I especially would like to thank our physicians, nurses, and staff for their commitment and dedication to our hospital and to our community. The support of the Board of Trustees has been invaluable.  My gratitude goes out to Prime Healthcare for its unwavering commitment and support of our hospital. Without it, we would not be where we are today."

Prime Healthcare Services is an award-winning hospital system that was recognized as a Top 15 Health System in the nation in 2013 by Truven Health Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters) for quality patient care and patient satisfaction. It was the third time in five years the health system was recognized. 

St. Mary's Hospital
St. Mary's Hospital is a non-profit, community-based tertiary medical center. It is an acute care hospital providing a broad range of cardiovascular services as well as a comprehensive program for cancer care.  St. Mary's Hospital is also a center of excellence for maternal-child health and outpatient behavioral health services. With over 550 physicians and 1,400 employees, it is one of the largest employers in the county.  Every member of the St. Mary's team is committed to providing compassionate, respectful, and personalized high quality care. Our goal is to satisfy patients' needs and exceed their expectations. St. Mary's Hospital is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, NJ.

Prime Healthcare Services
Ontario, CA-based Prime Healthcare Services (www.primehealthcare.com), with a motto of "Saving Hospitals, Saving Jobs and Saving Lives," is one of the largest hospital companies in the nation.

Prime Healthcare was recognized as one of the "15 Top Health Systems" in the nation in 2013, based on quality of healthcare and patient satisfaction. It is the third time in five years it has been recognized. In 2013, eight Prime Healthcare hospitals were ranked among the "100 Top Hospitals" in the nation by Truven Health Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters). Prime Healthcare hospitals have earned the award 21 times.  In addition, 11 Prime Healthcare hospitals earned national recognition as "Top Performer on Key Quality Measures" in 2013 from The Joint Commission, the leading Medicare accreditation organization in the country.

Through their subsidiaries, Prime Healthcare Services and the non-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation have more than 25,000 employees and own and operate 23 acute-care hospitals: Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Chino Valley Medical Center, Desert Valley Hospital, Encino Hospital Medical Center, Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center, Huntington Beach Hospital, La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, Montclair Hospital Medical Center, Paradise Valley Hospital, San Dimas Community Hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center, Sherman Oaks Hospital and West Anaheim Medical Center – in California, Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital – in Kansas, Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center – in Nevada, Lower Bucks Hospital and Roxborough Memorial Hospital – in Pennsylvania, Dallas Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center, Knapp Medical Center and Pampa Regional Medical Center – in Texas.

SOURCE Prime Healthcare Services