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 ST. JOHN’S MERCY HEALTH CARE

ST. LOUIS, MO (July 8, 2005) – The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) has announced that Ms. Denny DeNarvaez will join St. John’s Mercy Health Care as president and chief executive officer, effective July 25.

From 1999 to 2004, DeNarvaez was affiliated with Allina Hospitals & Clinics, a non-profit healthcare system with 11 hospitals, more than 40 clinics and other health-related services in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Most recently, she served as president of Allina’s Abbott Northwestern Hospital, the largest hospital in the Minneapolis area with 627 beds, 5,400 employees and 1,600 physicians. In that role, DeNarvaez’s accomplishments included establishing an innovative approach for involving physicians in planning and strategy setting, leading the development of a patient care model used throughout the hospital’s nine Centers of Excellence, and providing leadership for several major expansion projects including a $120 million heart hospital. Prior to joining Allina, DeNarvaez served for nine years with Florida Medical Center in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, a 459-bed hospital with centers of excellence in cardiology, oncology and psychiatry. She was chief executive officer from 1993 to 1998 and chief financial officer from 1989 to 1993.

“Denny brings more than 20 years of healthcare experience to St. John’s Mercy, with exceptional qualifications in all aspects of leadership,” said Ron Ashworth, Mercy president and CEO. “She is well qualified to lead St. John’s Mercy into the future.”

Michael Morgan, former president and CEO of St. John’s Mercy Health Care, resigned in November 2004. Interim leadership has been provided by Mark Stauder, chief operating officer for St. John’s Mercy, and John Sullivan, chief operating officer for the Sisters of Mercy Health System, who have served as co-presidents.

St. John’s Mercy Health Care is a member of the Sisters of Mercy Health System and includes St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Mo., St. John’s Mercy Hospital in Washington, Mo., Mercy Medical Group and Unity Health Services.

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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 26,000 co-workers and 3,100 physicians who are employed or practice at Mercy facilities. Mercy is the 9th largest Catholic healthcare system in the United States based on net patient service revenue and is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy–St. Louis Regional Community.

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