Agency for Health Care Administration Agrees to Issue Cleveland Clinic Florida Open Heart Surgery Certificate of Need.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 26, 1999--The Agency for Health Care Administration has agreed to issue Cleveland Clinic Florida Hospital a certificate of need for open heart surgery at its new hospital and medical campus in Weston, when it opens in 2001.

"At long last, Cleveland Clinic Florida will have the opportunity to develop and provide a program for which it has an international reputation," stated Harry K. Moon, M.D., chief executive officer, Cleveland Clinic Florida. "It has been a pleasure working with all of the providers in Broward County over the past few months to reach this monumental agreement. These programs will benefit the citizens of South Florida for many years to come."

Cleveland Clinic Florida is an integral part of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, established 78 years ago, and will develop and fully integrate the research and education protocols and team approach utilized by the Foundation's cardiac care programs. In 1998, for the fourth consecutive year, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation was ranked as No. 1 in the nation for cardiology and cardiac surgery by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals in America."

"We are pleased with the state's decision to permit Cleveland Clinic Florida to perform open heart surgery at its new unified campus scheduled to open in Weston in 2001. This announcement will ultimately benefit the residents of South Florida and our international clientele as they will now have convenient access to one of the world's best open heart surgery programs," said Floyd D. Loop, M.D., CEO and chairman of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Cleveland Clinic Florida Hospital in Weston is a joint venture project between Tenet South Florida HealthSystem and the Cleveland Clinic. The facility will be managed by Tenet Healthcare Corp., one of the country's leading health-care providers.

"This truly exemplifies what can happen when the health-care providers work collaboratively to put the needs of patients first," said Don S. Steigman, Tenet's senior vice president for Florida.

Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston will be an outstanding academic hospital and medical campus designed to serve the tri-county area including the fast-growing western region of Broward County and beyond.

The $150 million medical campus, situated on 42.7 acres, will feature a 237,170-square-foot, 150-bed private room hospital; a 214,415-square-foot outpatient medical center, which will house facilities for research and education; and a 44,100-square-foot central plant facility.

Cleveland Clinic Florida is a not-for-profit, multi-disciplinary medical group practice renowned for providing outstanding medical care in an environment of research and education. Modeled after The Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, Cleveland Clinic Florida includes an outpatient facility located on West Cypress Creek Road in Fort Lauderdale and a 150-bed hospital on A1A in Fort Lauderdale.

Cleveland Clinic Florida, Naples, a 185,000-square-foot outpatient facility, opened at 6101 Pine Ridge Road in Naples on Jan. 18, 1999. More information about Cleveland Clinic Florida can be accessed by visiting the company's Web site at www.ccf.org/florida.

Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., Tenet Healthcare, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates 129 acute care hospitals with more than 30,000 beds and numerous related health-care services. The company employs approximately 130,000 people serving communities in 18 states and services its hospitals from a Dallas-based operations center.

Tenet's name reflects its core business philosophy: the importance of shared values between partners -- including employees, physicians, insurers and communities -- in providing a full spectrum of health care. Tenet can be found on the World Wide Web at www.tenethealth.com.

Tenet South Florida HealthSystem, one of the 12 top integrated health-care delivery systems in the United States according to Hospitals & Health Networks' "America's Top 100 Integrated Systems," includes acute care hospitals, physical rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities and provides outpatient surgery, diagnostic, workers' compensation, occupational therapy, health and fitness and home health.

Tenet South Florida HealthSytem's hospitals are: Coral Gables Hospital, Delray Medical Center, Florida Medical Center, Hialeah Hospital, Hollywood Medical Center, North Ridge Medical Center, North Shore Medical Center, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, Palmetto General Hospital, Parkway Regional Medical Center, West Boca Medical Center and Pinecrest Rehabilitation Hospital.

Tenet is developing a new acute care hospital in Weston with its partner, Cleveland Clinic Florida. More information on Tenet South Florida HealthSystem can be accessed by visiting the company's Web site at www.tenethealth.com/FL.