CHICAGO, August 12, 2004 - GE Healthcare Financial Services, a unit of GE Commercial Finance, continues to expand its commitment to the healthcare industry with the provision of a $67 million senior credit facility to Shasta Regional Medical Center, LLC in Redding, CA., an institution owned and operated by Hospital Partners of America, Inc., in partnership with local physicians. Funding will be used to help Hospital Partners of America, Inc. acquire certain assets of Redding Medical Center and will provide ongoing working capital. Hospital Partners of America is a developer and operator of physician partnered hospitals based in North Carolina.

"When we began working with GE Healthcare Financial Services we knew they were the single lending source that could provide us the flexibility and service level we required," said Bob Sabo, CFO of Hospital Partners of America. "GE Healthcare Financial Services understood our business needs and worked with us to create a unique financing solution, while delivering unsurpassed speed and certainty of execution."

In another recent transaction, GE Healthcare Financial Services provided a $15 million revolver and $2 million term loan to Regency Hospital Company. The long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital owner/operator, located in Alpharetta, Ga., manages 11 facilities across eight states and will use the credit facility to fund their long-term growth.

Rod Laughlin, president and CEO, of Regency Hospital Company said, "GE Healthcare Financial Services responded rapidly to our changing financing needs. Their speed and efficiency made the financing process virtually seamless."

"While a lot of other lenders have left the market during difficult cycles in recent years, GE Healthcare Financial Services continued to seek out financing opportunities," said Mike Dawes, senior vice-president of commercial lending for GE Healthcare Financial Services. "Our commitment and experience in this industry has positioned us to benefit from what is likely to be a long-term upswing in demand for healthcare lending."

GE Healthcare Financial Services, a unit of GE Commercial Finance, is a provider of capital, financial solutions, and related services for the global healthcare market. With over $13 billion of capital committed to the healthcare industry, GE Healthcare Financial Services offers a full range of capabilities from equipment financing and real estate financing to working capital lending, vendor programs, and practice acquisition financing. With its knowledge of all aspects of healthcare from hospitals and long-term care facilities to physicians' practices and life sciences, GE Healthcare Financial Services works with customers to create tailored financial solutions that help them improve their productivity and profitability. For more information, visit .

Media Contacts

Deia Campanelli
GE Healthcare Financial Services
312-441-6169