MDTH Medcath Corp. (MM)

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MedCath Corporation (NASDAQ:MDTH), a healthcare provider focused on high acuity healthcare services, predominately the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease, today announced that David Covert will join its senior management team as Senior Vice President, Operations and will have operations responsibilities for MedCath hospitals located in Arizona, California, New Mexico as well as TexSan Heart Hospital (San Antonio, Texas). Covert, 53, joins MedCath with over 25 years of hospital management experience, most recently as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Healthcare West's (CHW) East Valley Service Area and Chandler Regional Medical Center (Chandler, Arizona). In this position, Covert was responsible for Chandler Regional Hospital, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, Ahwatukee Foothills Health Center, Gilbert Health Center, Sun Lakes Health Center and Queen Creek Urgent Care Center. He also oversaw the development and opening of Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, a 206-bed general acute care hospital that opened in June 2006. In March 2009, Covert was awarded the Arizona Health Care Leadership Award for Hospital CEOs by Arizona Business Magazine. "David brings a wealth of operational talent to MedCath, both in terms of operational management and opening of new hospitals," said O. Edwin French, MedCath President and Chief Executive Officer. "This experience will benefit our growing markets in the western U.S., as well as the opening of the Hualapai Mountain Medical Center scheduled for later this fall. His healthcare leadership skills are well respected, and he has demonstrated great commitment to the East Valley community." Covert has held leadership positions with CHW affiliated healthcare entities since 1985, and began his healthcare career in 1983 as Director of Accounting /Assistant Director of Finance for St. Luke's Health System, Phoenix, Arizona. He holds a bachelor of science in accounting from Arizona State University and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the America Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He also serves on numerous committees and boards in the East Valley, including Arizona Hospitals and Healthcare Association Board of Directors, Economic Development Advisory Board for the City of Chandler, Northern Trust Bank Advisory Council, and Dillon Southwest Adoption Agency. MedCath Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a healthcare provider focused on high acuity services with the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease being a primary service offering. MedCath owns an interest in and operates nine hospitals with a total of 676 licensed beds, located in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Texas. MedCath is in the process of developing its tenth hospital, which is anticipated to open in fall 2009, in Kingman, Ariz. In addition, MedCath and its subsidiary MedCath Partners provide services in diagnostic and therapeutic facilities in various states. DATASOURCE: MedCath Corporation CONTACT: O. Edwin French,, President, Chief Executive Officer, +1-704-708-6600, Jeff Hinton, Chief Financial Officer, +1-704-708-6600

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