Excerpted from March 20, 2007 letter

Dear Southwest Employees,

It is with great pride that I let you know that Southwest has again been named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals(r) by Solucient in the Teaching Hospitals grouping. Also leading the list are recognized names, including Yale New Haven Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Extraordinary. This achievement puts us among an elite number of only 40 hospitals who have attained the award six or more times. Moreover, Southwest is the only Vancouver/Portland area to receive the 2006 recognition. No Seattle hospitals were recipients. Another way to look at it: we're in the top 1% of the 5,000 hospitals in the country. Now, that truly makes us extraordinary!

To review the complete list, visit www.100tophospitals.com.

Pillar outcomes matter. As a reminder, we do not apply for this award. Solucient selects hospitals based on measures related to quality, growth, and financial performance (see criteria below).

Letting you know first. We will be working on an overall campaign to tout this success to the community. However, the communication and enthusiasm you have as a Southwest staff member is sure to be one of the best avenues to generate 'positive press.' In the coming weeks and months, we will celebrate our achievement with staff, doctors, and volunteers.

Finally, congratulations and thank you for making Southwest an extraordinary place to work, for patients to receive care and for our doctors to practice. Kudos from national groups, like Solucient, go a long way in helping remind us that we're doing worthwhile work and making a difference every day for our neighbors here in Southwest Washington.

Sincerely,

Joseph M. Kortum, President and CEO