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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jaime Rivas, MD, Active in Construction of New Hospital

Contact: Sarah Hay
800.476.1504
hays@cep.com

(March 2006, Emeryville, California)----Jaime Rivas, MD, Medical Director of the Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) Emergency Departments, has played an integral role in the development of a new hospital in Escondido, California.

Dr. Rivas has assisted the PPH system by pushing for a bond to help fund the construction and has represented the system’s interests within the community concerning the new site. Proponents of the new site say it will meet state-mandated earthquake requirements and the needs of a rapidly growing population.

The $496 million bond measure required a two-thirds vote to pass in the 2004 election. To help garner support for the Proposition, Dr. Rivas made appearances within the community, hoping to draw attention to and prompt discussion about ED overcrowding. He met with the hospital’s CEO and the Escondido Police Department to discuss the issue, attended various community events to speak with prominent members of the community, appeared in a television spot about overcrowding, and participated in phone banking efforts.

Along the way, he also spoke with City Council members, the Chamber of Commerce, the Escondido Fire Chief, and local business leaders about the various challenges facing EDs and how to confront them.

Most recently, he spoke during a February City Council meeting to communicate the hospital’s concerns; his testimonial contributed to a 5-0 vote allowing the new hospital to remain in Escondido.

Dr. Rivas is a newly-appointed member of the Foundation Board for PPH and will continue helping to raise funds for the new hospital. He says, “I’m looking forward to being a member of the Board and hope to be involved in future community issues.”

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Dr Rivas is a Partner in California Emergency Physicians (CEP) Medical Group. CEP was founded in 1975 and is a premier provider of physician staffing, management, and consulting services for 56 Emergency Department and Ambulatory Care Practices in California, Oregon, Georgia, and Arizona, caring for over 2,500,000 patients. For more information on CEP, visit their website at www.cep.com.