Rio Grande Regional Hospital Selects Aegis To Help Target Marketing Efforts To Local Employers

MCALLEN, Texas, July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen, Texas, has selected Nashville-based Aegis to be its partner in developing and implementing a series of local programs aimed at improving employee health and reducing employer healthcare costs.

Aegis is the nation's leading healthcare business development company whose programs can currently be found in more than 7,000 employer sites across the country. Employers participating in the program repeatedly recognize significant dollar savings in employee health costs, absenteeism, healthcare premiums, workers' compensation and other healthcare-related expenditures.

The Aegis program centers on identifying the health risks of a specific workforce and then matching at-risk employees with appropriate early detection, prevention and education initiatives. These initiatives will be directly related to specific diseases -- such as heart, cancer and diabetes -- and will leverage the hospital-based programs of Rio Grande Regional Hospital and its medical staff.

As part of their agreement, Aegis will provide Rio Grande with its proprietary software and Internet applications as well as a full-time "Employer Relations Specialist" who will be stationed at the hospital to oversee this program on a day-to-day basis. Other tools Aegis will provide the hospital include employer-based Health Information Centers, Personal Health Surveys, Personal Health Reports and other features designed to address a business owner's individual workplace needs.

"Our ability to customize this program to the individual needs of a specific employer makes this a highly targeted and effective way to serve the community," said Michele Sparks, marketing director at Rio Grande. "Leveraging Aegis' road-tested programs will allow us to have a significant positive impact on the health of people in our community, lower the healthcare expenses of local employers, and more intelligently focus on our own marketing expenditures. In short, it is a win for everyone."

With over 400 physicians representing over 35 specialties, Rio Grande Regional Hospital offers a broad range of high-quality programs including the Heart Source Center, a network of Women's OB clinics, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, physical and occupational therapy, and classes in comprehensive diabetes management, cardiac care, prepared childbirth and general wellness. It is part of HCA.

Aegis national client base includes more than 70 for-profit, not-for-profit and academic medical centers that have turned to Aegis to enhance bottom-line profitability by driving top-line growth. Since its founding in 1989, no other company has been able to match Aegis's breadth of services, track record and bottom-line proven performance when it comes to employer-directed marketing. Further information may be obtained at www.aegisgroup.com.

CONTACT: Ross Goldberg, +1-818-597-8453, for Aegis

Web site: http://www.aegisgroup.com/