FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Barb Meyer
Executive Director - Corporate Communications
Sisters of Mercy Health System www.mercy.net
v: 314.628-3633
f: 314.628-3734
e: bmeyer@corp.mercy.net

New CEO Named for Mercy Health System of Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 5, 2007) – Diana Smalley will join Mercy Health System of Oklahoma as president and chief executive officer, effective April 2, 2007. She also will serve as president and CEO of Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City.

Smalley brings 35 years of healthcare experience to Mercy, having served for the past ten years in leadership positions with Alegent Health in Omaha, Nebraska. She held the position of senior executive and vice president of operations from 1997 to 2005, with responsibility for five metropolitan area hospitals as well as nursing across the system. While at Alegent, Smalley led the development of innovative approaches to workforce management which resulted in the creation of a healthcare consulting and services organization, Avantas, LLC. Smalley has served as president of Avantas for the past two years, providing workforce strategy consulting services to prominent healthcare organizations across the country.

Smalley began her healthcare career in nursing. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Nebraska, and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She is a Fellow and former Regent of the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on the boards of a variety of healthcare, educational and community organizations.

“Diana’s experience and credentials make her an outstanding choice to lead Mercy Health System of Oklahoma. We look forward to welcoming her to Mercy in Oklahoma City and Ardmore,” said John Sullivan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Sisters of Mercy Health System, sponsors of Mercy Health System of Oklahoma.

Mercy Health System of Oklahoma includes Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City, Mercy Memorial Health Center in Ardmore, and Mercy Health Network, a group of integrated primary care physician clinics serving the Oklahoma City area. In partnership with Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates, Mercy Health System of Oklahoma co-sponsors Oklahoma Heart Hospital in Oklahoma City.

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About Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) operates hospitals, physician practices, outpatient clinics, health plans and related health and human services in a seven state area including Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Its members include 18 acute care hospitals providing more than 4,000 licensed beds, a heart hospital, a managed care subsidiary (Mercy Health Plans), physician practices, outpatient care facilities, home health programs, skilled nursing services and long-term care facilities. Services are provided by approximately 29,500 co-workers and 4,000 medical staff members who are employed or practice at Mercy facilities. Mercy is the 9th largest Catholic health care system in the U.S. based on net patient service revenue and is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy–St. Louis Regional Community.

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