Hospital District Collaborates with Largest Health Care Provider in South Texas

Hondo, Texas – April 25, 2011 - The Medina County Hospital District Board of Directors has entered into a management services agreement with Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio for the administration and management of Medina Regional Hospital. Within one week of the agreement, Janice E. Simons was selected as the new chief executive officer of Medina Regional Hospital.

"The ability to tap into the management, purchasing, labor and technological resources of a multi-hospital system like Methodist Healthcare will help move us to an even higher level of care for our patients. The quick selection of a chief executive officer is additional validation the Board made the right decision in entering into this alliance," stated Carlton "Corky" Young, DVM, president of the Medina County Hospital District. "We are fortunate Methodist recommended Janice Simons for the position; the Board is confident she is the right person to lead this hospital system," added Young.

The agreement requires Methodist Healthcare to provide managerial, administrative, and operations expertise in areas such as: materials management and purchasing, strategic planning, financial accountability, human resources and staffing education, information technology, quality and risk management, physician recruitment, and legal assistance. Methodist Healthcare is also responsible for the selection and employment of the hospital’s senior positions.

"I am so appreciative of this opportunity as it takes me back to my roots. I grew up in a rural community in Texas and I feel my upbringing combined with my experience as a caregiver, a nurse and as a health care administrator have really groomed me for this position," stated Janice Simons, incoming chief executive officer of Medina Regional Hospital. Simons’ career in health care spans over 30 years whereby she held various positions that evolved from staff nurse to chief nursing officer to chief operating officer of a 300+ bed hospital in San Antonio. Simons has also served as interim hospital CEO twice in her career. "I am so anxious to use my knowledge and experience in a smaller health care setting where I can better contribute to the quality of life in a community," added Simons. Simons currently holds the position of chief operations officer at Metropolitan Methodist Hospital, and will start her new position on May 1, 2011.

"The appointment of Janice Simons is just the beginning of what Methodist Healthcare can contribute to this hospital. We are excited about this agreement but the real winners will be the residents of Hondo and all of the communities in Medina County," said Geoffrey Crabtree, senior vice president of Methodist Healthcare. "We look forward to building on the existing services and quality of care that exists in the hospital today in an effort to improve the health status of the entire county," added Crabtree. The agreement will allow Medina Regional Hospital to draw on the expertise of the largest hospital system in South Texas without relinquishing its authority or autonomy.

Medina Regional Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital, providing quality health care to the entire Medina county region. The hospital offers a wide range of services including 24-hour emergency care and general acute care as well as three rural health clinics in Hondo, Devine and Castroville for primary and preventative care.

Methodist Healthcare is the largest and most preferred health care provider in South Texas with 24-facilities, including nine acute care hospitals: Methodist Hospital; Methodist Heart Hospital*; Methodist Children’s Hospital*; Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital*; Metropolitan Methodist Hospital*; Northeast Methodist Hospital*; Methodist Stone Oak Hospital; Methodist Texsan Hospital* and Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Hospital.