ARMC presented LifePoint High Five Award

Athens Regional Medical Center is the recipient of LifePoint Hospital's 2008 High Five Award for the American Division. The award was presented by Michael Clark, CEO of the American Division, at the annual LifePoint operations meeting on January 21 in Nashville.

The award was well deserved Clark said in his presentation. "Athens Regional has a tremendous team of truly dedicated professionals, striving for excellence in all that they do to support their hospital, community and LifePoint."

The High Five Award is the highest honor awarded annually to one hospital in each of LifePoint's five divisions to recognize extraordinary achievement in demonstrating the company's High Five guiding principles:

Delivering compassionate, high quality patient care
Supporting physicians
Creating an excellent workplace for employees
Strengthening the hospital's role in the community
Ensuring fiscal responsibility

Athens Regional received a check from LifePoint Hospitals in the amount of $100,000 to be used to invest in hospital improvements and technology as the hospital continues to grow and enhance its medical services.

John Workman, CEO, thanked Athens Regional employees and leadership for the hard work that made the prestigious award possible. "Congratulations and recognition goes to every single member of our staff for their integral role in the hospital's performance and patient care quality in 2008. This award puts Athens Regional among "the best of the best" in rural healthcare delivery."

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. is a leading hospital company focused on providing healthcare services in non-urban communities in 16 states. The company has 46 hospitals located in rural communities of similar size and similar demographics. LifePoint Hospitals' operating strategy offers continued operational improvement by focusing on its five core values It is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee.

This is the second time Athens Regional has won the High Five Award at the division level, the first time being in 2006. A highlight of the hospital's history as a LifePoint facility was being the recipient of the 2005 High Five Award for all the hospitals in the entire company.