LHC Group Announces Promotion Of Don Stelly To President And Chief Operating Officer

LAFAYETTE, La., Nov. 15, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG), a national provider of home health and hospice services, announced today that Donald D. Stelly, formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company.

Mr. Stelly has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since June 1, 2009. Prior to serving as LHC Group's Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Stelly served as the Company's Senior Vice President of Operations. Mr. Stelly joined the Company in April 2005 after serving as the Chief Executive Officer at Doctor's Hospital, a subsidiary of Brentwood, Tennessee-based LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Mr. Stelly's career includes serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer of Doctor's Hospital, which was nationally recognized for service excellence and superior operating results, and providing direct patient care as a Registered Nurse in a variety of settings within the healthcare continuum. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1991.

Keith G. Myers, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LHC Group, stated, "Since the inception of LHC Group, we have always been driven by one guiding principle: We must always act in the best interests of those who have been entrusted to our care. In order to ensure that this guiding principle remains at the forefront of every decision, the senior executive responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations in the LHC model has always been a proven and experienced clinician. As a registered nurse with over 20 years of experience caring for patients in acute and post acute settings, Don has clearly proven his unwavering commitment to quality patient care and to always placing the needs of patients entrusted to our care above all else. With his strong clinical background and hands on leadership style, Don has provided the leadership for many of the Company's quality initiatives, including our effort to have all of our home health and hospice agencies accredited by the Joint Commission. As a nurse, Don also understands that our caregivers in the field are the foundation of our company, and he is committed to their development and success. With his passion for patient care and unwavering commitment to the patients and employees we serve, Don is uniquely qualified and deserving of this promotion."