Via Christi sells Ponca City hospital

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ Via Christi Health System has sold its hospital in Ponca City, Okla., the last of the hospital system's health facilities outside of Kansas. <br/><br/>The 140-bed Via Christi Oklahoma

Friday, December 2nd 2005, 12:45 pm

By: News On 6

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ Via Christi Health System has sold its hospital in Ponca City, Okla., the last of the hospital system's health facilities outside of Kansas.

The 140-bed Via Christi Oklahoma Regional Medical Center will be sold to a subsidiary of Community Health Systems of Brentwood, Tenn., system officials said Thursday.

The sale means Via Christi will fully own only one hospital outside of Wichita: Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg.

Via Christi is part owner of hospitals in Salina, Manhattan and Wamego and will continue to own and operate the Westminster Village senior living facility in Ponca City.

``After evaluating the circumstances, we concluded our resources would be more productively applied to other operations within Via Christi Health System and other available opportunities,'' said Kevin Conlin, Via Christi president and chief executive officer.

Via Christi expects to close the sale by the end of March, officials said. A purchase price was not disclosed.