Washington DC – March 29, 2011 – St. Anthony Hospital and Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony are ranked in U.S. News & World Report's first-ever Best Hospitals metro area rankings for Oklahoma City, available online at www.usnews.com/hospitals. St. Anthony ranked third with specific recognition for high performance in neurology/neurosurgery and gynecology. Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony ranked fourth with high performance in orthopedics.

The new rankings recognize 622 hospitals in or near major cities with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including 132 of the 152 hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide.

U.S. News created Best Hospitals more than 20 years ago to identify hospitals exceptionally skilled in handling the most difficult cases, such as brain tumors typically considered inoperable and delicate pancreatic procedures.

The new metro area rankings are relevant to a much wider range of healthcare consumers. They are aimed primarily at consumers whose care may not demand the special expertise found only at a nationally ranked Best Hospital. Patients and their families will have a far better chance of finding a U.S. News-ranked hospital in their health insurance network and might not have to travel to get care at a high-performing hospital.

To be ranked in its metro area, a hospital had to score in the top 25 percent among its peers in at least one of 16 medical specialties.

“All of these hospitals provide first-rate care for the majority of patients, even those with serious conditions or who need demanding procedures,” says Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow. “The new Best Hospitals metro rankings can tell you which hospitals are worth considering for most medical problems if you live in or near a major metro area.”

For the full list of metro area rankings visit www.usnews.com/hospitals.