Philadelphia, PA, February 1, 2011 - Mercy Health Systems, a member of Catholic Health East, Awards Anesthesia Services Management Contract to Premier Anesthesia

Mercy Health System (MHS) and Premier Anesthesia announced today their new contract under which Premier will provide anesthesia services to all four (4) MHS hospitals: Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, Pennsylvania, Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton, Pennsylvania, Nazareth Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Mercy Philadelphia Hospital in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  MHS is committed to its vision of providing high quality healthcare services that improve the health of the individuals and communities it serves.  In support of this vision and the goal of providing a common patient experience across the continuum of care, MHS has developed a system anesthesia services strategy through a single vendor agreement.  The contract with Premier commenced January 1, 2011.  Premier's unique customized approach and proprietary tools such as its Evidence-Based Staffing Model (EBS©) and trackNOW©, its Anesthesia Information Management System, will allow MHS to deliver the highest quality anesthesia services.

"Premier is pleased and honored to have been selected as the exclusive system-wide anesthesia provider for MHS' hospitals.  Premier, with its proven clinical and management processes, systems and monitoring tools, is uniquely qualifed to assist the Mercy Health System to achieve its strategic anesthesia initiative to create a single system-wide anesthesia practice that will ensure that all MHS patients are consistently receiving the highest quality of anesthesia services.  Premier is looking forward to working with an organization like MHS that shares so many of the same core values such as reverence for others, compassion for community, realizing potential, good stewardship and striving for excellence, courage to do the right thing, and utmost, integrity, we do what we say we will do," said Kerry Teel, President of Premier Anesthesia.  "When healthcare relationships are formed that share common core values and are committed to providing caring, compassionate, patient-centric care, quality healthcare thrives."

Dr. Jeffry Komins, Chief Medical Officer for Mercy Health System states, "MHS is delighted to partner with a nationally recognized, high quality organization that shares our values, passion for excellence and compassionate care."

ABOUT MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM - Mercy Health System of Southeastern Pennsylvania is a diverse, integrated system providing comprehensive health care services comprised of four acute care hospitals, a home healthcare organization, several wellness centers, physician practices, a LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) program, and co-owner of Medicaid managed care plans, Keystone Mercy Health Plan, AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan and Gateway Health Plan. With well over a thousand primary care and specialty physicians, Mercy Health System is a teaching community health system affiliated with Drexel University School of Medicine and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). The largest Catholic healthcare system serving the Delaware Valley, Mercy Health System is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and Hope Ministries; and is a member of Catholic Health East, a multi-institutional, Catholic health system co-sponsored by 13 religious congregations. The vision of Mercy Health System is to be a leading provider of compassionate care and community access to quality health services that improve the health of individuals and communities.