J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Northside Hospital Recognized for Providing Outstanding Maternity Experience
For a Second Consecutive Year

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 30 August 2010 — Northside Hospital, located in Atlanta, Ga., has been recognized for service excellence for a second consecutive year under the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Program.^SM This distinction acknowledges a strong commitment by Northside Hospital to provide “An Outstanding Maternity Experience.”

“In achieving this distinction, Northside Hospital has once again demonstrated its status as a leader in service excellence when it comes to caring for maternity patients,” said Rick Millard, senior director of the healthcare practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Only an elite class of hospitals is recognized for performing at this high level.”

The service excellence distinction was determined by surveying recently discharged patients about their perceptions of their hospital visit and comparing the results to the national benchmarks established in the annual J.D. Power and Associates National Hospital Service Performance Study.^SM

The telephone-based research conducted among Northside Hospital patients focuses on the five key drivers of patient satisfaction with their overall experience. These drivers, which were identified in the national study, are speed and efficiency; dignity and respect; comfort; information and communication; and emotional support.

Northside Hospital exceeds the national benchmark study score for maternity satisfaction and performs particularly well, compared with the national study, in providing patients with dignity and respect. Among maternity patients, the hospital receives particularly high ratings for the respect for patient privacy, courtesy of the nurses and courtesy of the discharge personnel.

The hospital also performs well in providing patients with emotional support, particularly for the treatment of family and friends.

More than 80 percent of Northside Hospital maternity patients surveyed say they would recommend the facility to friends and family, while 80 percent say they would likely return to the facility if needed.

“We are delighted to have received this highly regarded recognition from J.D. Power and Associates for a second consecutive year,” said Bob Quattrocchi, president and CEO of Northside Hospital. “Northside delivers more babies than any other single hospital in the U.S. and our commitment to high-quality, compassionate care and service excellence remains our calling card in metro Atlanta. The hard work and dedication of physicians, midwives, staff and others have created a reputation for maternity and newborn services at Northside that is excellent. Their efforts have made receiving this national recognition possible again; and we thank them for all their efforts.”

Nongovernmental, acute-care hospitals throughout the nation are eligible for the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital recognition for inpatient, maternity, cardiovascular, emergency and outpatient services. Distinction is valid for one year, after which time the hospital may reapply for this recognition.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a global information and education company providing knowledge, insights and analysis in the financial, education and business information sectors through leading brands including Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.