July 7, 2006

Dear Colleagues,

Sixteen years in a row. What an accomplishment and what a tribute to all of you.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital has again earned the top spot as “Best of the Best” in U.S. News &World Report’s annual Honor Roll of American hospitals, placing first in five of 16 ranked medical specialties and in the top four in 10 others. Only 14 hospitals nationwide made it to the Honor Roll this year out of 5,189 institutions graded.

Once more, the magazine, along with medical specialists across the nation, have affirmed the excellence of our faculty physicians, our nurses and our staff. We say it each year and we mean it:  This recognition is a tribute to all of you and to the community physicians whose contributions to Johns Hopkins Medicine are significant.

This year’s annual guide reports results of a survey of a hospital’s reputation among a national sample of physicians, along with analysis of objective indicators such as death rates, technology, nurse staffing, service mix and discharge planning.

In addition to landing at the overall #1 spot on the Honor Roll by accumulating 30 points, we ranked #1 in Ear, Nose and Throat, Gynecology, Kidney Disease, Urology and Rheumatology.  We ranked #2 in Neurology/Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology and Psychiatry; #3 in Cancer, Digestive Disorders, Endocrinology (hormonal disorders), Heart/Heart Surgery, Respiratory Disorders and Pediatrics; #4 in Orthopedics; and #17 in Rehabilitation. For a detailed list of all rankings, go to www.hopkinsmedicine.org or to the USN&WR Web site at www.usnews.com.

As we move forward with the reconstruction and renewal of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and medical campus, the USN&WR recognition is a testament to our continued commitment to safety and excellence in our clinical care and our mission. We appreciate the magazine’s recognition of your work, but most of all we appreciate all of you. We can’t say it too often: Your innovative and compassionate patient care is Hopkins’s hallmark. You make it all possible. Year after year.

Sincerely,

Edward D. Miller, M.D.
Dean/CEO
Johns Hopkins Medicine

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