Catholic Health East Acquires Saint Michael's Medical Center

NEWARK, N.J., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Alexander J. Hatala, president and
CEO of Catholic Health East New Jersey (CHE-NJ), today announced the
completion of an asset purchase agreement with Cathedral Healthcare System
that makes Saint Michael's Medical Center, Inc. the newest affiliate of
Catholic Health East, one of the nation's largest not-for-profit health
systems.
"We are delighted to welcome Saint Michael's Medical Center into the
CHE-NJ family," said Hatala. "With the addition of Saint Michael's, and with
Lourdes Health System -- Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden and
Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County in Willingboro -- and St. Francis
Medical Center in Trenton, our hospitals will now be serving three of the
state's major cities and will constitute the state's largest Catholic
health-care system."
"Our mission calls us to seek ways to ensure access to health services for
those people most in need," said Robert V. Stanek, president and CEO of
Catholic Health East. "Today's announcement is the culmination of the
collaborative work of all parties -- the Archdiocese of Newark, Newark city
leadership and state legislators, the State of New Jersey, physicians and
employees, and the local community -- to find a solution that best meets
community needs. Our Catholic health ministry in New Jersey, and nationwide,
is strengthened and enriched with the addition of Saint Michael's Medical
Center to our family."
Hatala explained that each affiliate of CHE-NJ -- the newly established
New Jersey division of Catholic Health East -- retains its local management
and governance while benefiting from some key economic and operational
efficiencies and shared services.
"The Franciscan roots of our New Jersey hospitals have helped shape the
firm foundation for their partnership," said Hatala. "This union strengthens
each of our hospitals and allows all to enjoy certain advantages of
affiliation. Our hospitals share a longstanding commitment to delivering the
best in care to our state's most vulnerable and underserved populations, and
this commitment will continue to be strengthened through close collaboration
and the identification of best practices and models for care."
Established by the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in 1867, Saint Michael's
is a 357-bed regional tertiary-care, teaching, and research center in the
heart of Newark's business and educational district. Renowned for its
pioneering infectious disease program, it was also the first New Jersey
facility to perform open-heart surgery, and its Heart and Vascular Institute
today offers the best in innovative cardiac care. The Regional Cancer Center
provides state-of-the-art cancer care, and The Connie Dwyer Breast Center at
Saint Michael's Medical Center offers the very latest in diagnostics and
procedures for the treatment of breast cancer and other breast diseases. The
Saint James Campus in the East Ward and the Columbus Campus in the North Ward
deliver key non-acute services, including emergency care, primary care, and
prenatal care. They serve as a "front door" to the inpatient, outpatient, and
clinic services available at Saint Michael's Medical Center. More information
is available at http://www.smmcnj.org.
Catholic Health East (CHE), a Catholic health system co-sponsored by 10
religious congregations and Hope Ministries, is based in Newtown Square,
Pennsylvania. CHE provides the means to ensure the continuation of the
Catholic identity and operational strength of the sponsors' health ministries,
which are located in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida. The CHE system
includes 33 acute-care hospitals, four long-term acute-care hospitals, 36
free-standing and hospital-based long-term care facilities, 12 assisted-living
facilities, five continuing-care retirement communities, seven
behavioral-health and rehabilitation facilities, 25 home health/hospice
agencies, and numerous ambulatory and community-based health services. More
information about CHE is available at http://www.che.org.
SOURCE Catholic Health East

Brendan M. Middleton, Director of Communications, Saint Michael's Medical
Center, +1-973-596-3804, bmiddleton@smmcnj.org; or Scott H. Share, Vice
President, System Communications, Catholic Health East, +1-610-355-2017,
sshare@che.org