MDTH Medcath Corp. (MM)

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MedCath Corporation (NASDAQ:MDTH) announced today that three of its hospitals were named among the nation's 100 Top Hospitals(R) for cardiovascular care by Thomson Healthcare. Thomson named Arizona Heart Hospital, Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota and Heart Hospital of Austin (Texas) in its annual study. This is the fourth time Arizona Heart Hospital has been named to the top 100 list. Heart Hospital of Austin was named for the third time, and Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota won for the second consecutive year. The annual Thomson Healthcare award is based on hospitals' performance treating congestive heart failure and heart attacks. The 2007 winners were announced Nov. 19 in Modern Healthcare magazine. "These winning hospitals bring great value to their communities," said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals programs in the Center for Healthcare Improvement, Thomson Healthcare. "They have set national benchmarks for clinical process, outcomes, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness." "We're very pleased that three of our eleven hospitals have been recognized for their outstanding patient care," said O. Edwin French, President and Chief Executive Officer of MedCath. "Our patient-focused model has consistently proved to be effective, as demonstrated by The Lewin Group's annual study that shows year-after-year, patients at MedCath hospitals on average exhibit lower mortality rates, shorter lengths of stay and a higher rate of being discharged directly home, compared with peer hospitals nationwide. We're very proud of our clinical results overall, and we're especially pleased that three facilities have been singled out for exceptional performance." MedCath Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a healthcare provider focused on high acuity services with the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease being a primary service offering. MedCath owns interests in and operates eleven hospitals with a total of 667 licensed beds, located in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas. In addition, MedCath and its subsidiary MedCath Partners manage the cardiovascular program at various hospitals and provide services in diagnostic and therapeutic facilities in various states. Thomson Healthcare is the leading provider of decision support solutions that help organizations across the healthcare industry improve clinical and business performance. Thomson Healthcare products and services help clinicians, hospitals, employers, health plans, government agencies, and pharmaceutical companies manage the cost and improve the quality of healthcare. Thomson Healthcare is a part of The Thomson Corporation, a provider of value-added information, software tools and applications to professionals in the fields of healthcare, law, tax, accounting, scientific research, and financial services. DATASOURCE: MedCath Corporation CONTACT: O. Edwin French, President & Chief Executive Officer, +1-704-708-6600, or James E. Harris, Chief Financial Officer, +1-704-708-6600, both of MedCath Corporation Web site: http://www.medcath.com/

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