May 20, 2008

Advocate Health Care, Condell Medical Center move closer to integration

Advocate Health Care, Condell Medical Center
move closer to integration

Oak Brook, Ill.--- Advocate Health Care and Condell Medical Center announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement that would lead to Condell Health Network integrating into Advocate Health Care. The terms will require approval from both federal and state agencies. This regulatory process could take up to five months.

The definitive agreement outlines Advocate’s commitment to move forward with multiple plans for expansion of both facilities and services. Advocate has committed to the expansion of Condell’s emergency department, construction of 68-bed, private room addition and attaining Level I trauma designation on the Libertyville Condell campus.

“The integration of Advocate and Condell ultimately will result in significant benefits to the residents of Lake County,” said Jim Skogsbergh, president and CEO of Advocate Health Care. “We identified this region some time ago as an area in need of increased access to care. The addition of Condell into the Advocate family allows us to offer some immediate solutions to the community that will enhance and expand quality heath care services.”

Advocate and Condell formally announced their exclusive agreement to explore integration in mid-January of this year. After an exhaustive due diligence process, this new agreement, approved by each system’s Board of Directors late last week, serves as a critical milestone in the integration of the two organizations.

“Together with Condell, Advocate will further our health care ministry and healing mission for the residents of Lake County who are in urgent need of increased access to care,” said John Timmer, chair of the Advocate Board of Directors.

“By joining Advocate, Condell will be able to better meet the growing needs for health care services in Lake County,” said Dennis Millirons, president and CEO of Condell Medical Center. “We were attracted to Advocate due to their mission and values and their absolute commitment to the community. This along with their strong financial standing and their comprehensive system resources make them a great partner for Condell and for Lake County.”

“This agreement will allow Condell to build upon our 80-year history of serving as the leading health care provider in Lake County,” said Julius Marks, chairman of the Condell Board of Directors.

Advocate Health Care, a nationally-ranked health system, is the largest health care provider in Illinois. Advocate operates more than 200 sites of care across metropolitan Chicago, including seven acute care hospitals, one specialty hospital, two children’s hospitals, four Level I trauma centers (the state’s highest designation in trauma care), a home health care company and three of region’s largest

medical groups. As a not-for--profit, mission-based health system affiliated with the Evangelical

Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ, Advocate contributed more than $296 million in charitable care and services to communities across Chicagoland in 2006.

Serving the community since 1928, Libertyville-based Condell Medical Center is the largest health care provider in Lake County. The Medical Center has 283 licensed beds and provides tertiary care services such as cardiac surgery, neurosurgery and radiation therapy. The Condell Health Network also includes four immediate care facilities, home services and an intergenerational care center providing child and adult day care services. Condell Medical Center was recently recognized among the nation’s top hospitals for quality by the National Research Corporation (NRC), an independent health care research firm.
###

Kelly Jo Golson, MBA
Vice President, Communications
Advocate Health Care
630.990.5615 or 630.777.5459
KellyJo.Golson@advocatehealth.com



Jodi Levine
Vice President, Business Development
Condell Health Network
847.990.5538
jlevine@condell.org



###
Condell Medical Center is the leading provider of comprehensive medical and surgical services in Lake County, with state-of-the-art heart, neurosurgical, maternity and emergency services. Other services include: Condell Immediate Care facilities throughout Lake County, Centre Clubs (medically supervised fitness facilities), Pediatric Alternatives in Creative Therapy (PACT), Radiation Oncology Center, Condell Home Services, and Condell Day Center for Intergenerational Care. Physicians are independent practitioners and are not employees or agents of Condell Medical Center.