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For Immediate Release

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Syltie Johnson, 612-863-4801, 612-654-7488

Abbott Northwestern named in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Hospitals 2005

MINNEAPOLIS 07/08/2005--Allina’s Abbott Northwestern Hospital is cited as one of the country’s best hospitals in five specialty areas in the 16th annual edition of U.S. News & World Report’s "America's Best Hospitals." The publication ranks 176 top medical centers, from a total of 6,007, in 17 clinical specialties.

Abbott Northwestern was ranked in four specialties, including:

• # 25 in heart and heart surgery
• # 50 in ear, nose and throat
• # 16 in neurology and neurosurgery
• # 44 in orthopedics
• # 34 in urology

To be considered, a hospital first must satisfy one of three requirements: be a member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals, be affiliated with a medical school or have at least nine of 18 identified technology-related services.

In each specialty, a hospital must perform a given number of procedures or had to be cited by at least one physician in the past three years of U.S. News surveys. These hospitals received a score that equally weighs reputation, mortality and a group of care-related factors such as nursing.

The "America's Best Hospitals" methodology was devised in 1993 by the University of Chicago. The score is based on:

• Reputation—as rated by board-certified physicians who were selected at random and asked to list up to five hospitals they consider tops in their specialty, regardless of cost or location.
• Mortality—comparing the number of deaths of Medicare patients with specified conditions in 2001, 2002 and 2003 with the number expected.
• Other factors—including availability of hospice and palliative care, the number of discharges, nursing ratios and other issues.

The rankings will appear in the July 18 issue of U.S. News & World Report, which hits newsstands on July 11.

Minneapolis-based Abbott Northwestern Hospital is part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, a non-profit network of hospitals, clinics and other health care services. Abbott Northwestern is found online at www.abbottnorthwestern.com.