Center for Heart & Vascular Health Earns 3-Star Rating for Heart Bypass Surgery
Society of Thoracic Surgeons places ChristianaCare among the elite providers of cardiac care
ChristianaCare’s renowned Center for Heart & Vascular Health has earned the highest quality rating—three stars—from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures.
The prestigious three-star rating places ChristianaCare among the elite health care organizations for heart bypass surgery in the United States and Canada.
“Earning a three-star rating for heart bypass surgery places us among the top heart hospitals in the nation,” said Ray Blackwell, M.D., M.J., the W. Samuel Carpenter Chief of Cardiac Surgery at ChristianaCare.
The star rating is calculated using a combination of quality measures for specific procedures performed by an STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participant.
The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs across the United States and Canada.
To make an appointment with a heart specialist at ChristianaCare, call 302-733-1000.
“Delaware residents can be confident that they have one of the best heart surgery teams in the nation right here, close to home, at ChristianaCare.”
The three-star rating from STS adds to ChristianaCare’s long list of awards for quality heart care. For the past two years, the Center for Heart & Vascular Health has earned the designation HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence from the American College of Cardiology for its commitment to high quality cardiovascular care.
In addition, the Center for Heart & Vascular health received the American Heart Association’s 2021 Mission: Lifeline Gold Quality Achievement Award for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks; the 2021 Get With The Guidelines NSTEMI Silver Award for patients with a less severe form of heart attack; and the 2021 Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus Award for Heart Failure.
“Our Center for Heart & Vascular Health and our community have much to be proud of,” said Kirk Garratt, M.D., M.Sc., medical director of the Center for Heart & Vascular Health.
“We provide great outcomes, and we also listen to patients and families and work to ensure that the stressful experience of surgery is as easy as it can be. That kind of commitment leads to this kind of recognition.”
People with heart conditions are at greater risk of complications from COVID-19 and also need assistance managing their heart health.
“If you are a heart patient, please do not postpone your regular visit with your cardiologist.”
—Kirk Garratt, M.D.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), heart disease remains a leading killer in the nation—claiming more than 600,000 lives each year. In addition, the AHA anticipates the effects of COVID-19 are likely to influence cardiovascular health and mortality rates for many years.
“February is American Heart Month, and there is no better time for us to take stock of our heart health than now,” Dr. Garratt said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented new challenges to people living with chronic conditions such as heart disease. People with heart conditions are at greater risk of complications from the virus and also continue to need assistance managing their heart health. If you are a heart patient, please do not postpone your regular visit with your cardiologist.”
The STS is a not-for-profit organization that represents more than 7,600 surgeons, researchers and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The STS National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety among cardiothoracic surgeons.