L to R: John Meriweather, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Fayette County Memorial Hospital, shakes hands with Cathy Andrews, Director, Regional Development, Mount Carmel after the renewal of the management agreement was signed between FCMH and Mount Carmel. They are joined by Lyndon Christman, FCMH Administrator.

Fayette County Memorial Hospital and Mount Carmel signed a contract renewing their management agreement at the June 27th FCMH Board Meeting. The three-year agreement is effective August 1, 2006.

Jay Kasey, Interim Chief Executive Officer for Mount Carmel Health System, stated, "We are excited to continue our positive relationship with FCMH, its physicians, and the people of Fayette County. FCMH and Mount Carmel have worked together for more than a decade to improve access to health care in the local community. Mount Carmel remains very active in working with FCMH to recruit and retain physicians in Fayette County. Mount Carmel-affiliated physicians provide specialty services in the county and through Fayette County Memorial Hospital."

John Meriweather, Chairman of the FCMH Board of Trustees stated, "I am glad that the hospital and Mount Carmel have agreed to renew the management agreement. Our goal is to continue to grow the capabilities and services of Fayette County Memorial Hospital to remain the best primary care hospital, providing quality health care for the residents of Fayette County."

As with the original agreement, this is not a merger or acquisition. FCMH and Mount Carmel still maintain separate governing bodies and medical staffs. FCMH, a county owned, non-profit, independently operated acute-care hospital, opened on May 8, 1950 and is proud to remain one of the few independently operated hospitals in Ohio.