Ascend Health inaugurates two psychiatric hospitals, acquires two new hospitals

Ascend Health Corporation announced the opening of two new freestanding psychiatric hospitals as well as the acquisition of two freestanding psychiatric hospitals.  All hospitals offer a full range of inpatient, day hospital and chemical dependency services.

Valley Hospital in Phoenix, AZ, a 122-bed psychiatric hospital, opened in December 2010.  Salt Lake Behavioral Health in Salt Lake City, UT, a 118-bed psychiatric hospital, opened in October 2010.  In late 2010, Ascend acquired the Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire, a 70-bed psychiatric hospital, in Houston, TX and Mayhill Hospital, a 60-bed psychiatric hospital, in Denton, TX.  Ascend plans to expand the Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire.

"With these new hospitals, we are delighted to offer Ascend's high quality psychiatric services to patients in Arizona, Utah and Texas, three of the fastest growing states over the last decade," said Richard Kresch, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer.  "We are bringing the Ascend model of specialty programs that are individually tailored to the needs of patients in the military, patients with co-occurring disorders, the women's population, the youth and senior adult population and faith-based groups to these hospitals."

"Since inception in 2005, we have grown revenue by over 50% each year and now operate eight facilities with close to 800 beds," said Dr. Kresch.  "With the addition of new and acquired facilities and the expansion of existing facilities, we look forward to achieving sustainable growth by providing psychiatric services to communities with unmet needs."