HCA Healthcare Veteran Mel Lagarde to Retire

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: HCA), one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, today announced it has appointed Keith Zimmerman as president of the company’s Kansas City-based MidAmerica Division, effective June 13.

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Keith Zimmerman Appointed President of HCA Healthcare’s MidAmerica Division (Photo: Business Wire)

As MidAmerica Division president, Zimmerman will have responsibility for seven hospitals and numerous other sites of care serving the greater Kansas City area. Zimmerman replaces Mel Lagarde, who is retiring after a 40-year career with HCA Healthcare.

“Keith has a track record of strong physician collaboration and a laser focus on clinical quality,” said Jon Foster, president of HCA Healthcare's American Group. “His past experience and proven leadership skills will serve him well in his new role.”

A 31-year healthcare industry veteran, Zimmerman has served as CEO of Medical City Arlington since 2017. Under his leadership, Medical City Arlington has achieved national recognition for patient safety, earning five consecutive “A” grades from the Leapfrog Group.

Before that, Zimmerman was CEO of Medical City Children’s Hospital after leading business development efforts for Medical City Dallas Hospital and Medical City Children’s. Prior to joining HCA Healthcare, Zimmerman held executive roles in both operations and business development for several regional and national healthcare providers.

Zimmerman has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from University of Louisiana-Lafayette and an MBA from Regis University.

Lagarde has served as president of HCA Healthcare’s MidAmerica Division since 2011. Before that he was president of HCA Healthcare’s New Orleans-based Delta and Louisiana divisions since 1995. After serving as CEO of several HCA Healthcare hospitals in Texas, Virginia and Georgia, Lagarde became COO of the company’s Houston-based Gulf Coast Division where he served from 1994 to 1995. He joined HCA Healthcare as assistant administrator and administrative resident at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ga. in 1982.

“Mel has been an exceptional leader for HCA Healthcare for many years. We appreciate not only his many contributions to our company’s success, but the optimism he exuded daily,” said Foster. “We will miss his energy and enthusiasm, and we wish him all the best in this new chapter.”

About HCA Healthcare

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services comprising 182 hospitals and approximately 2,300 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine. HCA Healthcare has conducted a number of clinical studies, including one that demonstrated that full-term delivery is healthier than early elective delivery of babies and another that identified a clinical protocol that can reduce bloodstream infections in ICU patients by 44%. HCA Healthcare is a learning health system that uses its more than 35 million annual patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives. Please click here to connect with HCA Healthcare on social media.

All references to “Company,” “HCA” and “HCA Healthcare” as used throughout this document refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates.

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