July 8, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

For the 15th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of American hospitals has placed The Johns Hopkins Hospital at the top of the list.

We’re obviously delighted, and once again we have an opportunity to thank all employees for all you do for Johns Hopkins Medicine and for our patients.

The magazine’s recognition is, as always, a tribute to the Hospital, its dedicated nurses and staff, the School of Medicine’s faculty physicians and the community physicians whose contributions are significant.

As we endeavor to rebuild, renew, enrich and expand our services and facilities, and to assure our continued commitment to safety and excellence, such independent evaluations as these rankings are of growing value to patients, the public, referring physicians and insurers.

We appreciate the magazine’s recognition of your commitment, but most of all we appreciate all of you. We can’t say it too often: the rankings are a worthy acknowledgment of the innovative and compassionate care that is Hopkins’ hallmark-and of the people who make that kind of care possible.

This year’s annual guide ranked American medical centers in 17 specialties to identify hospitals that excel in a variety of difficult areas of care by conducting research, pioneering advanced treatments and bringing the best technology and expertise to bear. Just 176 hospitals scored high enough this year to rank in even a single area out of all 6007 U.S. medical centers, and only 16 accumulated enough points to make it to the Honor Roll reserved for medical centers that ranked at or near the top in at least six specialties. Hopkins received 32 points in 16 specialties by placing #1 in Ear, Nose and Throat, Gynecology, Kidney Disease, Rheumatology and Urology; #2 in Ophthalmology, Geriatrics, Neurology and Neurosurgery; #3 in Cancer, Digestive Disorders, Heart and Heart Surgery, Hormonal Disorders, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Respiratory Disorders and #4 in Orthopedics. For a complete list of all rankings, go to http://www.usnews.com or http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org. Additional information can also be found on the special 2005 Best of the Best webpage at http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/usnews/besthospitals05.html.

As we say each year, it’s a privilege to be named with the best of the best in American medicine and we know you will help us continue to strive for the excellence that has marked our history.

Edward D. Miller, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and
Johns Hopkins Health System