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University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics Ranked Among America’s Best in U.S. News & World Report


July 15, 2002 — University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics once again is ranked among America’s Best Hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 13th annual survey of leading health-care institutions.

The report, to be published in the magazine’s July 22 issue, available Monday, ranks 205 hospitals out of more than 6,000 in the country. This is the ninth time University Hospital has made the list.


“In a health-care environment where hospitals are being forced to close, or else consolidate just to compete, we are especially proud once again to be on the list of ‘America’s Best’ hospitals,” said Richard A. Fullmer, University Hospital executive director. “This pride is reflected in our continuing focus on providing the best and most cost-effective care for our patients.”


To be ranked in the survey, hospitals first must meet one of three criteria: membership in the Council of Teaching Hospitals; affiliation with a medical school; or offer at least nine of 17 specified items of medical technology. Fewer than 2,000 hospitals nationwide met this standard.


In addition, a hospital must perform a minimum number of procedures in areas of specialty, or be cited by at least one physician in the past three years of U.S. News surveys.


“These hospitals excel partly because their doctors perform large numbers of tricky and risky procedures,” Richard Folkers, director of media relations for U.S. News & World Report, said in a statement.


Hospitals then are rated according to reputation among board-certified physicians, mortality statistics and a group of other care-related factors such as nursing, hospice and pain-management care.