Health Management Associate’s PULSE System® Receives ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 Certification

Health Management Associates, Inc. (NYSE:HMA) announced today that PULSE®, Version 11.1 is 2011/2012 compliant and was certified as an EHR Module on July 7, 2011 by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), in its EACH™ program. PULSE®, Version 11.1 was found to be ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 compliant in accordance with the applicable hospital certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

"We are very pleased to receive our certification from CCHIT,” said Gary D. Newsome, President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Management. "We believe this certification validates our leadership position and supports our position as the hospital partner of choice for non-urban, midsized hospitals. We are very proud of our entire IT team and their tremendous commitment to innovation - allowing us to continue enabling America’s best local health care.”

The ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program tests and certifies that Complete EHRs meet all of the 2011/2012 criteria and EHR Modules meet one or more – but not all – of the criteria approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) for either eligible provider or hospital technology.

"CCHIT is pleased to be testing and certifying products in its EHR Alternative Certification for Healthcare Providers (EACH) program so that providers are able to achieve meaningful use in time for the 2011-2012 incentives,” said Karen M. Bell, M.D., M.S.S., Chair, CCHIT. "As the originator of EHR certification, the Commission has the unique background and expertise to meet the often complex needs of hospitals that have uncertified legacy software, customized commercial products, or have developed their own EHR systems to suit their individual needs,” she said.

Health Management’s PULSE®, Version 11.1 certification number is CC-1112-558900-1. ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification conferred by CCHIT does not represent an endorsement of the certified EHR technology by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services nor does it guarantee the receipt of incentive payments.

PULSE®, Version 11.1 meets the following certification criteria:

170.302(c) Maintain up-to-date problem list

170.302(e) Maintain active medication allergy list

170.302(f) Record and chart vital signs

170.302(g) Smoking status

170.302(h) Incorporate laboratory test results

170.302(k) Submission to immunization registries

170.302(l) Public health surveillance

170.302(n) Automated measure calculation

170.302(o) Access control

170.302(p) Emergency access

170.302(q) Automatic log-off

170.302(r) Audit log

170.302(s) Integrity

170.302(t) Authentication

170.302(u) General encryption

170.302(v) Encryption when exchanging electronic health information

170.306(b) Record demographics

170.306(d) Electronic copy of health information

170.306(e) Electronic copy of discharge instructions

170.306(f) Exchange clinical information and patient summary

170.306(g) Reportable lab results

170.306(h) Advance directives

The additional software PULSE®, Version 11.1 relied upon to demonstrate compliance includes:

Midas +/ACS a Xerox Company, Midas + Live, V1.0

ProMed, ProMed EDIS, V3

About Health Management Associates

Health Management enables America's best local health care by providing the people, processes, capital and expertise necessary for its hospital and physician partners to fulfill their local missions of delivering superior health care services. Upon completion of the previously announced Mercy Health Partners transaction, Health Management, through its subsidiaries, will operate 66 hospitals, with approximately 10,300 licensed beds, in non-urban communities located throughout the United States. All references to "Health Management," "HMA" or the "Company" used in this release refer to Health Management Associates, Inc. and its affiliates.

About CCHIT

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) is an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the public mission of accelerating the adoption of robust, interoperable health information technology. The Commission has been certifying electronic health record technology since 2006 and is approved by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as an Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB). More information on CCHIT, CCHIT Certified® products and ONC-ATCB certified electronic health record technology is available at http://cchit.org.

About ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification

The ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program tests and certifies that EHR technology is capable of meeting the 2011/2012 criteria approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The certifications include Complete EHRs, which meet all of the 2011/2012 criteria for either eligible provider or hospital technology and EHR Modules, which meet one or more – but not all – of the criteria. ONC-ATCB certification aligns with Health Information Technology: Initial Set of Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology published in the Federal Register in July 2010 and strictly adheres to the test procedures published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the time of testing. ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification conferred by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) does not represent an endorsement of the certified EHR technology by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services nor does it guarantee the receipt of incentive payments.

"CCHIT®” and "CCHIT Certified®” are registered trademarks of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology.

About EACH™

The EHR Alternative Certification for Healthcare Providers (EACH™) is a customized ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program for installed EHR technology developed by CCHIT to meet the complex needs of hospitals and large eligible provider practices that have uncertified legacy software, customized commercial products, or have developed their own EHR systems to suit their individual needs, The EACH program, relying on required ONC criteria and test procedures and tools developed by NIST, offers online learning programs, online inventory and self-assessment tools that help providers evaluate how their installed EHR technology measures up to ONC’s criteria and standards, and access to an online community of other providers participating in the EACH program. More information and online tools for applying for EACH certification is available at http://each.cchit.org.

Forward-Looking Statements

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. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as "expects,” "estimates,” "projects,” "anticipates,” "believes,” "could,” and other similar words. All statements addressing operating performance, events, or developments that Health Management Associates, Inc. expects or anticipates will occur in the future, including but not limited to projections of revenue, income or loss, capital expenditures, earnings per share, debt structure, bad debt expense, capital structure, repayment of indebtedness, other financial items, statements regarding the plans and objectives of management for future operations, statements regarding acquisitions, divestitures and other proposed or contemplated transactions, statements of future economic performance, statements of the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing statements, and other statements which are other than statements of historical fact, are considered to be "forward-looking statements.”

Because they are forward-looking, such statements should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties. These risk factors and uncertainties are more fully described in Health Management Associates, Inc.’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q under the heading entitled "Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of Health Management Associates, Inc.'s underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could vary materially from those currently anticipated. In addition, undue reliance should not be placed on Health Management Associates, Inc.'s forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Health Management Associates, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.