The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), a national organization devoted to improving quality care for heart, lung and procedures within the chest, has recognized Catholic Medical Center with its rarely-issued “Three Stars” Rating for the hospital’s work on heart patients. Only 6%-8% of all 7,200 U.S. hospitals have received the STS “Three Star” ranking.
Specifically, CMC was recognized for its highly successful surgical repair of aortic valves as well as bypassing blocked coronary arteries.
“This is a special honor for our team,” said Dr. William Goodman, Chief Medical Officer and VP of Medical Affairs at CMC. “Our cardiac team at NEHVI leads the way in truly outstanding cardiac care, and this recognition highlights the quality outcomes we seek for all patients. Our doctors are innovative leaders, who understand the need to incorporate the latest techniques with a consistently high quality level of care for each one of their patients.”
The STS conducts a rigorous review of every hospital’s heart procedures. The 50-year old national watchdog group reviews outcomes in several different surgical data categories before awarding its annual ratings. Its database measures outcomes from more than 90 percent of the 1,100 cardiac surgery programs in the U.S. The STS review includes compliance with quality measures during surgery, avoidance of mortality, avoidance of major complications, adherence to appropriate medication usage before and after surgery and other important patient outcomes. It is a full review of each patient at each hospital.
“We pride ourselves on offering the best cardiac care with the best outcomes in our region,” said Dr. Joseph Pepe, President & CEO of Catholic Medical Center. “Medical science has taught all of us that through the proper procedures and treatment, before and after surgery, will result in the best possible outcomes for patients. Our goal is to return our patients to a quality of life they had before they faced health challenges in their lives. It is what all of us would want, and this recognition from STS reaffirms that we are on a path towards offering the best possible care families can expect in our region.”
The New England Heart & Vascular Institute is a comprehensive cardiac center in Southern New Hampshire for the diagnosis and therapeutic management of cardiovascular disease. At the New England Heart and Vascular Institute, patients have access to the region’s most highly trained, board-certified cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. The New England Heart & Vascular Institute includes a group of 21 cardiologists who are board certified in Interventional Cardiology, Electrophysiology and Non-invasive Cardiology. The Institute features more than a dozen specific procedures and treatments for cardiac patients.