Tenet Hospitals Awarded 257 CIGNA HealthCare Quality Designations

DALLAS, TX--Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) today announced that 42 of its hospitals received 257 quality designations through CIGNA HealthCare.

These quality designations are based on outcomes for treatment of 29 surgical procedures and medical conditions. The patient outcomes data are based partially on a hospital`s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare measures, Leapfrog Patient Safety Measures, mortality and complications rates. The designations indicate superior outcomes and nearly 65 percent of CIGNA HealthCare`s network hospitals receive a quality designation for treatment of at least one condition.

"We are very proud that so many of our hospitals have again received quality designations that are based on the latest evidence-based care," said Stephen L.Newman, MD, Tenet`s chief operating officer. "This affirms our commitment to improving the quality of care provided at our hospitals. In fact, 86 percent of Tenet`s hospitals received a CIGNA HealthCare quality designation. We also
increased the total number of quality designations at our hospitals from 214 in 2008 to 257 in 2009, a 20 percent increase."

In addition to the quality designations, 26 Tenet hospitals received 76 Center of Excellence (COE) designations for 2009 from CIGNA HealthCare, improving year over year COEs by 26 percent. These COE designations recognize hospitals meeting CIGNA HealthCare`s high standards for quality and efficiency.

Newman added, "Tenet applauds CIGNA`s leadership within the industry for its comprehensive quality program. Last year we worked with CIGNA to develop an innovative pay-for-performance program that links to these COE designations. Our hospitals that achieved COE designations receive incremental revenue as a result of the high-quality care they provide to our patients."

"We are pleased that Tenet shares our goal to strengthen quality and provide individuals with information that can help them make health care decisions," adds Richard Salmon, MD, national medical director for CIGNA HealthCare. "We applaud their efforts to work with us to secure these designations and improve care delivery."