National Jewish Named the #1 Respiratory Hospital for the Eleventh Year in a Row

National ranking provides showcase for new brand and name

DENVER, July 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the eleventh year in a row,
National Jewish Health has been named the best respiratory hospital in the
nation by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking is part of the 2008 "America's
Best Hospitals" guide published by the weekly newsmagazine.

"This recognition continues to be tremendously gratifying. Once again our
faculty and staff have risen to the challenge of providing the best care
possible to our patients," said Michael Salem, MD, President and CEO of
National Jewish. "We are also thrilled to have our new name, National Jewish
Health, prominently featured in such a widely read magazine and Web site."

As part of the ranking, board-certified pulmonologists around the country
mentioned National Jewish more often than any other hospital when asked to
name the best respiratory hospitals in the nation. In addition to recognition
by pulmonologists, the hospital rankings were based upon various care-related
factors, such as nursing and patient services.

National Jewish has world-renowned programs in respiratory, cardiac and immune
disorders including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lupus and
other rheumatologic diseases, coronary artery disease, lung cancer, and
allergies.

The rankings list the institution's new name, National Jewish Health, which
has been changed from National Jewish Medical and Research Center as part of a
rebranding effort by the hospital.

"We have adopted a new name and logo to better communicate our commitment to
leading the evolution of healthcare from reactive trial-and-error medicine to
proactive, personalized health," said Dr. Salem. "The U.S. News rankings
provide outstanding national exposure for our branding initiative."

The hospital rankings appear in the July 21/28, 2008, edition of U.S. News &
World Report, which hits newsstands on July 14. The rankings are also
available on the Web site, http://www.usnews.com.

SOURCE National Jewish Health

William Allstetter of National Jewish Health, +1-303-398-1002,
allstetterw@njc.org