50 Community Health Systems-Affiliated Hospitals Named Top Performers on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission

Community Health Systems, Inc.Investor Contact:W. Larry Cash, 615-465-7000Executive Vice Presidentand Chief Financial OfficerorMedia Contact:Tomi Galin, 615-628-6607Vice President, Corporate Communications

Community Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CYH) announced today that 50 of its affiliated hospitals have been named by The Joint Commission, the nation’s largest accrediting agency for healthcare organizations.

Out of more than 3,400 eligible and accredited hospitals, The Joint Commission recognized just 620 hospitals (18 percent) for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children’s asthma, stroke and venous thromboembolism. The ratings are based on aggregated accountability measures data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2011 calendar year.

Recognized hospitals met two different 95 percent performance thresholds. First, they achieved performance of 95 percent or above on the composite score that includes all the accountability measures for which data was reported to The Joint Commission for calendar year 2011. Second, recognized hospitals met or exceeded a 95 percent performance target for each and every accountability measure for which they reported data.

“The medical staffs and employees of our affiliated hospitals across the nation are putting evidence-based processes into practice – day in and day out – in an effort to continuously improve the care provided for their patients,” said Wayne T. Smith, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Community Health Systems, Inc. “We are extremely proud of the 50 CHS-affiliated hospitals included among the and we applaud their efforts to deliver safe, effective, quality care.”

Of the 50 CHS-affiliated hospitals recognized, 33 of those hospitals also received the designation last year. Only 244 hospitals nationwide have achieved recognition for two straight years.

Located in the Nashville, Tennessee, suburb of Franklin, Community Health Systems, Inc. is one of the largest publicly-traded hospital companies in the United States and a leading operator of general acute care hospitals in non-urban and mid-size markets throughout the country. Through its subsidiaries, the Company currently owns, leases or operates 135 hospitals in 29 states with an aggregate of approximately 20,000 licensed beds. Its hospitals offer a broad range of inpatient and surgical services, outpatient treatment and skilled nursing care. In addition, through its subsidiary, Quorum Health Resources, LLC, the Company provides management and consulting services to non-affiliated general acute care hospitals located throughout the United States. Shares in Community Health Systems, Inc. are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CYH.”

Statements contained in this news release include forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties. Actual future events or results may differ materially from these statements. Readers are referred to the documents filed by Community Health Systems, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K.