FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              
Christi S. Meggs
(843) 479-2881

Bennettsville, SC (January 3, 2008) – Troy Pickens has joined Marlboro Park Hospital as Chief Financial Officer announced Jodi Beauregard, Interim Chief Executive Officer.

Pickens replaces Gene Brattain who transferred to Carolina's Hospital System in Florence, SC, a sister facility of Marlboro Park Hospital. Brattain had been with Marlboro Park for over 12 years.

As a member of the hospital's Senior Management Team, Pickens is responsible for the overall financial operations of the facility including accounting, budgets, audits, tax and other financial activities within the organization. He is also responsible for oversight of the Accounting, Health Information Management, Case Management, Materials Management, Business Office, Registration and Information Systems departments.

Beauregard says, "Troy comes to Marlboro Park Hospital with years of experience in the health care business. We are delighted to have someone with his expertise join our team. We will miss Gene but are glad that he is staying within the Community Health Systems family."

Prior to joining Marlboro Park, Pickens worked as a Project CFO for Division 1 of Community Health Systems (CHS). In this role, he traveled among CHS hospitals participating in CFO functions where needed. Prior to that, Pickens has spent most of his career working in hospital finance positions in South Carolina.

Pickens received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Charleston and his Masters in Health Service Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina both in Charleston, South Carolina. Pickens is also a Certified Public Accountant.
          
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