NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwire - Oct 11, 2011) - Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE: [ VHS ]) announced that Carol J. Burt has joined the Company's Board of Directors.

"We look forward to Carol's contributions as a member of Vanguard Health Systems' Board of Directors," said Charlie Martin, Vanguard's Chairman and CEO. "Vanguard is very focused on innovation and growth. We believe Carol's insight and experience will be extremely valuable in guiding us in the years ahead."

Ms. Burt is a principal of Burt-Hilliard Investments, a private investment and consulting service to the health care industry, with 30 years of experience in operations, strategy, corporate finance, and investment banking. She currently serves on the boards of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. and Emergency Medical Services Corporation and previously served on the board of directors of Transitional Hospitals Corporation.

Prior to founding Burt-Hilliard Investments, from 1997 to 2007, Ms. Burt served as a member of the executive team that built WellPoint, Inc. into one of the country's leading health benefits companies. She retired from WellPoint as Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance and Development. Ms. Burt was also Senior Vice President Finance and Treasurer at American Medical Response. Her responsibilities included establishing the merger and acquisitions function, and overseeing the insurance, finance, and treasury functions. Ms. Burt spent 16 years at Chase Securities, Inc. (now JP Morgan), most recently as Managing Director and head of the Health Care Investment Banking Group.

Ms. Burt graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance and a minor in accounting. In addition, she has completed advanced studies in business, finance, strategy, and leadership through various universities, including Rutgers Graduate School of Management, Darden Graduate School of Business, and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

About Vanguard Health Systems [ www.vanguardhealth.com ]
Vanguard owns and operates 28 acute care and specialty hospitals and complementary facilities and services in metropolitan Chicago, Illinois; metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona; metropolitan Detroit, Michigan; San Antonio, Texas; Harlingen and Brownsville, Texas; and Worcester and metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts. Vanguard's strategy is to develop locally branded, comprehensive healthcare delivery networks in urban markets.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to qualify for the safe harbor protections from liability provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are those statements that are based upon management's current plans and expectations as opposed to historical and current facts and are often identified by use of words including but not limited to "may," "believe," "will," "project," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," and "plan." These statements are based upon estimates and assumptions made by Vanguard's management that, although believed to be reasonable, are subject to numerous factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. These factors, risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2011, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and periodic reports on Form 8-K. As a result of these factors, risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Vanguard undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.