Albany general hospital (AGH) achieves its mission of improving the health and well being of the community through its medical and surgical hospital and healthcare clinics providing outpatient care services at several AREA locations. AGH is a member of samaritan health services (SHS), a regional network of hospitals and physicians. The network, formed in the late 1990's, serves approximately 290,000 residents in LINN, benton, lincoln and portions of POLK and marion counties in oregon. It is locally owned, and its boards of directors include hospital leaders, physicians and community representatives. The mission of SHS is "building healthier communities together." the collective vision of the SHS system is to serve our communities with pride (passion, respect, integrity, dedication, and excellence). SHS seeks to be the first choice of consumers in the region and to lead collaborative efforts among those who share similar goals.