July 25, 2014 — Catholic Health Partners (CHP), the parent healthcare system of , has changed its name to Mercy Health. The system's name change is part of a Ministry evolution to one unified team, focused on high-quality care, increased efficiencies and lower patient costs. Mercy Health is Ohio's largest health system and fourth-largest employer.

"Our new name is a symbol of the new way we are working together to improve the health of the communities we serve," said Michael D. Connelly, Mercy Health's president and CEO. "It is a key component of our vision to empower those we serve to achieve their optimal well-being and health, and to maximize our quality and cost efficiency by simplifying our structure. This approach to serving and healing demonstrates our commitment to making healthcare easier as our more than 1,000 physicians and 32,000 employees strive to make lives better - mind, body and spirit - to help our patients be well."

The system already operates under the "Mercy" name in five of its current seven markets, including markets serving Cincinnati, Toledo, Lorain, Springfield and Paducah, Ky.

Over the next several years, the Mercy Health name will be phased into all system facilities, including the facilities of Mercy throughout Lorain County. This allows patients to retain the trust, confidence and security they currently have in physician, hospital and outpatient facilities that have served their communities for more than a century.

In addition, the Ministry's website will change to www.mercy.com.

"We start with our patients at the center of every decision," said Kristen Hall Wevers, Mercy Health's chief brand, marketing and communications officer. "Simplifying our operating structure improves our ability to maximize our clinical quality and cost effectiveness, and allows us to improve the overall experience patients and their families have when they seek our services in times of need."

The new name also will help Mercy Health more effectively communicate its Mission, results and stories. Mercy Health is a national leader in quality, safety and cost-effectiveness. True to its Mission, Mercy Health provides more than $1 million per day in community benefit to those patients who need services, but cannot otherwise afford them. Mercy Health is a major economic force in all of the communities it serves, providing nearly $9 billion in annual economic benefit in Ohio alone, according to a recent independent survey.

"We are excited about coming together under one name as part of a comprehensive effort to transform healthcare and better serve the people of Lorain County," said Edwin Oley, President and CEO of Mercy. "It is important for our patients to know that although the name of our facilities will change over time, the physicians, hospitals and outpatient centers will continue to provide the same high-quality care. We are extremely fortunate to be a part of a progressive organization working in unison to carry forth the mission of our founders. We are building on a solid foundation as we look ahead as one team, focused on the health of the communities we serve."

Mercy Health's roots date back to the mid-19th century, when women religious answered calls to serve poor and under-served people in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Railroad workers, immigrants and entire communities facing serious outbreaks of illness depended on congregations of women religious from Canada, Germany and Ireland to establish hospitals and nursing schools. During the same period, in Cincinnati, Jewish business leaders established a hospital to serve the city's growing Jewish population. A century and a-half later - and for the last quarter century - these hospitals, physicians and aligned services have been united in one organization dedicated to helping individuals and entire communities achieve better health. Today, that organization now is united under a single name: Mercy Health.

The system incorporated in 1986 as Mercy Health Care System and changed its name to Catholic Healthcare Partners in 1997 to more accurately reflect the multiple religious communities that sponsored it and its emphasis on partnering to build healthier communities. The name was later shortened to Catholic Health Partners to reflect its growing emphasis on prevention and health, in addition to caring in time of need.

"We are continuing the ministry started by our founders in the 1800s," Connelly said. "Consistently providing proven best practices by simplifying our structure will strengthen and advance our ability to deliver high quality, affordable care. We are changing to constantly improve our ministry so that Catholic healthcare remains a strong and vibrant choice for healthcare consumers."

About Mercy Health
Mercy Health (formerly Catholic Health Partners) is the largest health system in Ohio and one of the largest health systems in the United States, employing more than 32,000 employees in Ohio and Kentucky. With $6 billion in assets, Mercy Health operates more than 250 health facilities, including 23 hospitals, eight senior living communities, five hospice programs and seven home health agencies. Truven Health Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters) consistently rates Mercy Health among the nation's top health systems for clinical quality and efficiency. In keeping with its Mission, Mercy Health provided $374.7 million in community benefit services in 2013. Mercy Health's bonds are rated AA- by Standard & Poor's and Fitch, and A1 by Moody's. Mercy Health also partners with HealthSpan which provides health maintenance organization and insurance coverage. Mercy Health is a founding member of Health Innovations Ohio which focuses on providing health services that result in higher quality, better health and greater value. For more information, visit www.mercy.com or connect with Mercy Health on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

About Mercy
Mercy is a full-service, not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system, which provides inpatient, outpatient and ancillary services to Lorain County and surrounding communities through its two hospitals, Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain and Mercy Allen Hospital in Oberlin; physician offices; and specialized facilities, including the Mercy Cancer Center, Mercy Rehabilitation Center, Mercy Diagnostic Centers and Mercy New Life Hospice. Mercy is a member of Mercy Health, the largest health system in Ohio and one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the U.S. For more information on Mercy, please visit www.MercyOnline.org.