Community Health Systems 2010 Annual Report Download - page 7

Perhaps more than any other aspect of our business
strategy, effective physician recruitment and retention is
essential to our success. Qualified physicians play a vital
role, particularly in local community hospitals, in
providing the right complement of healthcare services
on a consistent basis. This, in turn, keeps patients close
to home, drives volumes in our hospitals and creates
additional revenue streams from new specialty services.
Our proven ability to attract and retain qualified
physicians in our communities has been a strong
competitive advantage for our organization. Last year
was our most successful to date as we exceeded our
stated recruitment goals and added 1,852 new physicians
to our ranks, including a number of clinical specialists.
At the same time, we have maintained a strong
physician retention rate as a result of our intense focus
on practice development and ongoing support.
T hroughout 2010, we have continued to extend our
market reach through selective acquisitions, adding five
new hospitals. Our strategy has always been focused on
identifying hospital facilities with the most opportunity
for growth that meet our operating profile. We have a
proven track record for the successful integration of these
facilities with improved operating results, earning us a
very favorable reputation as a trusted partner in the
communities we serve. With the current healthcare
regulatory climate, we believe there are significant
opportunities for us to pursue additional acquisitions with
a greater number of independent hospitals and health
systems looking for established and operationally-focused
partners. We can provide the experience and financial
resources to support and maintain these local community
hospitals. We look forward to working together
with each new hospital partner as we deliver on our
commitment to provide quality healthcare close to home.
We are proud of our performance in 2010 and even
more proud of what Community Health Systems, Inc.
represents and the significance of what our people have
accomplished this past year. The dedication and
commitment to excellence can be seen throughout the
organization and in each and every one of our hospitals.
We are fortunate to benefit from an exceptional
management team and board of directors, with the
support of an unrivaled team of dedicated physicians,
nurses and hospital administrators. We are especially
appreciative to the people who live and work in the
communities we serve — for believing in what we stand
for and in our ability to deliver results.
We are excited about the future, and remain confident in
our continued success in 2011 and beyond. We close by
thanking you, our fellow stockholders, for sharing that
confidence through your investment in Community
Health Systems, Inc.
Sincerely,
Wayne T. Smith
Chairman of the Board, President and
Chief Executive Officer
Even in difficult market conditions, we have been able to consistently drive
cost efficiencies, recruit and retain qualified physicians, and implement
administrative and clinical best practices in all of our hospitals.
WA Y N E T . S M I T H