For Immediate Release

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Pat Lund, phone 612-618-1273

U.S. News & World Report: Mercy Hospital ranked among top three in the Twin Cities
Mercy's diabetes, endocrinology care ranked among best in nation

COON RAPIDS, Minn. 07/19/2011--Mercy Hospital is one of only four hospitals in the Twin Cities to earn a national ranking in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Hospitals 2011/12. Out of nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide, Mercy ranks among the top 50 for diabetes and endocrinology care.

Best Hospitals in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

In addition to Mercy Hospital, three other Allina hospitals are ranked among the highest in the metro area: Abbott Northwestern Hospital, United Hospital and Unity Hospital.

The report is available at usnews.com/hospitals. It also will be in the Best Hospitals 2011-12 print guide, available on newsstands August 30, 2011.

"We are proud of the high quality care and service our medical staff, nurses and employees provide to our patients and their families," said Dennis O'Hare, vice-president of medical affairs for Mercy Hospital.

"This report gives consumers practical information so they can choose the best hospital for their condition," said Tom O'Connor, president of Mercy Hospital.

Specialty ranking among the nation's top 50

The report evaluates the quality of care in 16 adult specialties and 10 pediatric specialties. In addition to earning national ranking for diabetes and endocrinology, Mercy Hospital earned a high performance rating in seven other specialties: gastroenterology (digestive system) geriatrics, nephrology (kidney), neurology and neurosurgery (brain), orthopedics (bones, joints, muscles), pulmonology (lung), urology (urinary tract).

Top Twin Cities hospital

Out of 38 hospitals in the Twin Cities metro area, Mercy's overall ranking in the Twin Cities region is #3.

For 12 of the 16 specialties, a hospital's score is based on data including:

• the quality of patient care including diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and patient education
  
• resources dedicated to patient care including nurse staffing and patient services
  
• patient outcomes including mortality rates

Rankings for four specialties (ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and rheumatology) are based on physician reputation because most procedures are performed on an outpatient basis.

About Mercy Hospital

Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids is part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, a not-for-profit family of hospitals, clinics and other care services dedicated to meeting the lifelong health care needs of communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin.