LAFAYETTE, La., Feb. 11, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG), one of the largest providers of home health services in the United States, announced today that it has partnered with the Studer Group on a project that will combine the Studer Group's tested tools and processes with LHC Group's operational model and dedicated caregivers to create excellence in patient satisfaction and quality outcomes.
The Studer Group is an outcomes-based health care consulting firm devoted to teaching evidence-based tools and processes that organizations can use to create and sustain outcomes in service and operational excellence. Partner organizations see clear results in the areas of higher employee retention, greater patient and customer satisfaction, healthy financials, growing market share, and improvements in various other quality indicators. The Studer Group has worked with hundreds of health care systems, hospitals, and medical groups since the firm's inception in 1999.
Quint Studer, Studer Group Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said "LHC Group is a leader in the post acute healthcare industry, and we are excited to partner with such a quality-driven organization. By combining LHC Group's proven operational model with our evidence-based leadership tools and processes, we believe our partnership will further enhance LHC Group's ability to provide exceptional care and unparalleled service to the patients, families and communities they serve. At the Studer Group, we are recognized as a national leader in working with hospitals on quality initiatives and, as a result, are pleased to be working with LHC Group, who is clearly the leader in partnering with hospitals to create joint venture relationships focused on ensuring that patients receive the highest quality of service throughout the care continuum."
Don Stelly, Chief Operating Officer of LHC Group, said, "As a former hospital Chief Executive Officer, I had the opportunity to work closely with the Studer Group and witness how their tools, processes and philosophy lead to stellar outcomes. This new partnership shall provide our team of professionals yet another resource to facilitate the differentiation of our service and quality. We are excited to align ourselves with an organization that puts people first, and we look forward to our relationship with Quint and the entire Studer Group."
Keith G. Myers, President and Chief Executive Officer of LHC Group, said, "The Studer Group has a longstanding reputation of producing outstanding results in the areas of quality and service for hospitals throughout the United States. At LHC Group, we are committed to continuing the expansion of our joint venture relationships with hospitals and, by entering into this partnership with the Studer Group, our existing and future hospital joint venture partners will clearly understand that at LHC Group patient care and quality service is our first priority."
About LHC Group, Inc.
LHC Group, Inc. (www.LHCGroup.com) is one of the largest providers of home health services in the United States, providing quality, cost-effective healthcare services to patients within the comfort and privacy of their home or place of residence. LHC Group provides a comprehensive array of post-acute healthcare services through home health and hospice locations in its home-based division and long-term acute care hospitals in its facility-based division.
Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements about the Company's future financial performance and the strength of the Company's operations. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "continue," "expect," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including changes in reimbursement, changes in government regulations, changes in LHC Group's relationships with referral sources, increased competition for LHC Group's services, increased competition for joint venture and acquisition candidates, changes in the interpretation of government regulations, and other risks set forth in Item 1A. Risk Factors in LHC Group's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. LHC Group undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.