NASHVILLE, TN, June 1, 2009 -- Vanguard Health Systems today announced that Bradley A. Perkins, current Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is joining Vanguard in a newly appointed role as Executive Vice President of Strategy and Innovation and Chief Transformation Officer, effective July 1, 2009.

In his new role, Perkins will accelerate Vanguard's transformation to compete more successfully in the rapidly changing health and healthcare delivery environment. He will oversee the company's business strategy and innovation efforts including clinical safety and quality programs, clinical service line improvement and development, and information systems/medical informatics.

"Brad brings a refreshing vision for a healthcare delivery system that is human-centered and innovates where others follow. His decision to join us represents an incredible vote of confidence for where our health care system is headed, and he will certainly help us accelerate efforts to improve the health and wellness of the communities we serve," said Charles N. Martin, Vanguard Health Systems Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Perkins comes to Vanguard from the widely respected CDC where he served as Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer. A well-known leading US health and healthcare thinker and innovator, he has been in broad demand as a speaker and advisor within and outside of government. While Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, he worked closely with CDC's Director to lead the first large-scale modernization of the CDC's strategic direction since 1977. Brad has a long list of other distinguished leadership and research accomplishments at the CDC, including successful efforts in the United States and worldwide to control bacterial meningitis and other epidemic prone infections diseases; founding and leading many of CDC?s emergency response efforts over the last decade, including leading CDC's 2001 anthrax bioterrorism response; and more recently, leading CDC's efforts to broaden a too narrowly focused U.S. health and healthcare reform debate across government, civil organizations, and businesses.

Perkins holds a Bachelor of Arts in Microbiology and Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was an Intern and Resident Physician in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston and served as Chief Medical Resident at the Houston Veteran Administration Medical Center. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, he also holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University.

About Vanguard
Vanguard owns and operates 15 acute care hospitals and complementary facilities and services in Chicago, Illinois; Phoenix, Arizona; San Antonio, Texas; and Massachusetts. Vanguard also owns three managed care health plans: Phoenix Health Plan, a Medicaid managed health plan in Arizona; Abrazo Advantage Health Plan, a managed Medicare and dual-eligible health plan in Arizona; and MacNeal Health Providers, a preferred provider network in Chicago. Vanguard's strategy is to develop locally branded, comprehensive healthcare delivery networks in urban markets. Vanguard will pursue acquisitions where there are opportunities to partner with leading delivery systems in new urban markets. Upon acquiring a facility or network of facilities, Vanguard implements strategic and operational improvement initiatives, including improving quality of care, expanding services, strengthening relationships with physicians and managed care organizations, recruiting new physicians, and upgrading information systems and other capital equipment. These strategies improve quality and network coverage in a cost effective and accessible manner for the communities we serve.

Contact:
Vanguard Health Systems, Inc.
Suzanne Towry, Director Communications
Director Investor Relations
(615) 665-6016