NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Baycare Health System Hospital Earns National Recognition

St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa Named One of the Leading Hospitals in America

TAMPA, Fla., April 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- St. Joseph's Hospital, a member of BayCare Health System, has been recognized as one of the leading hospitals inthe United States, in a study led by Consumers' Checkbook. It will be published in the May/June issue of AARP The Magazine.

Consumers' Checkbook is a nonprofit research organization that surveyed doctors from across the country to identify the most highly regarded hospitals and medical facilities in the nation.

The poll, which collected 140,000 ratings of hospitals, listed St. Joseph's Hospital as the most highly rated hospital in theTampa Bay area with the next closest facilities being inSarasota andOrlando.

St. Joseph's Hospital was one of 10 hospitals inFlorida included in the list of top 10 hospitals inFlorida, with 70 percent of doctors rating the hospital as very good or excellent.

Results from the study are now available online.

"The Consumers' Checkbook study rates hospitals throughout the country based on patient safety and outcomes, and recognizes our efforts to provide the best possible care for our community," said Isaac Mallah, president and chief executive officer of St. Joseph's Hospital. "We are proud of these excellent results, which come directly from doctors' recommendations."

About BayCare Health System

BayCare Health System is the largest community-based health system in theTampa Bay region, providing expert medical care for a patient's lifetime. Composed of nine not-for-profit hospitals and numerous affiliated services, the system connects patients to a complete range of services throughout the three-countyTampa Bay area. Together, BayCare organizations seek to advance the health of their patients and their communities.

Member hospitals are Mease Countryside, Mease Dunedin, Morton Plant, Morton Plant North Bay, St. Anthony's, St. Joseph's, St. Joseph's Children's, St. Joseph's Women's, St. Joseph's Hospital North (opening 2010) and South Florida Baptist. On the web: www.baycare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System