NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Saint Thomas Health Services Appoints Christopher Palombo to CEO of the Dispensary of Hope

"We are excited to have Mr. Palombo join the Dispensary of Hope team," said Wes Littrell, Chief Strategy Officer and President of Saint Thomas Health Services. "His vast healthcare experience and passion to meet the needs of the underserved is the right combination to build upon the success of the Dispensary."

Current Dispensary CEO and co-founder, Jason Dinger, is departing the organization to assume expanded responsibilities within STHS, including leading the system's efforts to build a quality accountable care organization for the region.

The Dispensary of Hope, an extension of STHS, seeks to provide sustainable access to medication for underinsured communities. Having distributed over $20 million worth of pharmaceuticals to those in need and creating a national and inter-regional network of dispensing sites, the Dispensary of Hope plans to keep expanding and making a difference in communities in need.

Palombo has extensive experience in the improvement of the healthcare industry, having worked with over 75 healthcare organizations and community health coalitions across the United States. He has effectively led national advocacy and education efforts, managed a peer-learning infrastructure, and successfully directed a multi-year redesign of the safety net healthcare infrastructure in 15 Northern Michigan counties.

Palombo has been praised as a key team member by Ascension Health, a great philanthropist, and an established leader in the healthcare industry. He was recognized as the 2009 Emerging Leader in Health Transformation by Communities Joined in Action. Palombo received his Master of Science in Healthcare Management degree in 2007 from Lindenwood University.

About Saint Thomas Health Services

Saint Thomas Health Services is a faith-based ministry with more than 6,500 associates serving Middle Tennessee. Saint Thomas Health Services' regional health system consists of five hospitals - Baptist Hospital, Saint Thomas Hospital and The Center for Spinal Surgery in Nashville, Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro and Hickman Community Hospital in Centerville - and a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures in diagnostics, cardiac services and ambulatory surgery as well as medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities. STHS is a part of Ascension Health, a Catholic organization that is the largest not-for-profit health system in the United States.

For more information, visit www.sths.com.

About the Dispensary of Hope

Founded in 2003, the Dispensary of Hope is a not-for-profit social venture that provides sustainable access to medicine for underinsured communities through a growing network of dispensing sites across the country. The Dispensary has collected and distributed tens of millions of dollars worth of pharmaceuticals and filled more than 200,000 prescriptions for patients who otherwise couldn't afford them.

For more information, visit www.dispensaryofhope.org.

for Saint Thomas Health Services
Lauren Fulton, 615-254-0575