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The Cardiothoracic Surgery Division at Stony Brook University Heart Institute has just earned some enviable recognition among major medical centers.
The division provides both clinical services cardiac (heart) surgery and thoracic (chest/lung) surgery.
Earlier this month, it was awarded the highest quality rating — three stars — from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its overall patient care, as well as its outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass graft procedures, according to an announcement from the hospital.
The three-star rating is based on the following:
- Absence of Mortality (Deaths)
- Absence of Morbidity (Complications)
- Use of Internal Mammary Arteries (Arteries located in the chest and commonly used in bypass surgery because they have been shown to have the best long-term results.)
- Medications (Patients are discharged with proper medications and instructions.)
According to the hospital’s spokesperson, Stony Brook University Hospital is the only Suffolk County center to receive a three-star rating overall and for low complications–only four other hospitals in New York State achieved this.
“Historically approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of [cardiothoracic surgery programs in the U.S. and Canada] receive the three-star rating for isolated CABG surgery,” reads a Stony Brook Hospital statement.
“The Society of Thoracic Surgeons congratulates STS National Database participants who have received three-star ratings,” said Dr. David M. Shahian, chair of the STS Council on Quality, Research, and Patient Safety.
“Participation in the database and public reporting demonstrates a commitment to quality improvement in healthcare delivery, and helps provide patients and their families with meaningful information to help them make informed decisions about healthcare.”
The new award is just another credit to Stony Brook’s commitment to its patients, said the hospital’s director of the Stony Brook Heart Institute and chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Joanna Chikwe.
“Knowing which hospitals have superior results is a huge advantage for patients,” said Chikwe. “They can have peace of mind knowing they’re getting care from one of the top-rated facilities in the nation.”
For more information about Stony Brook University Heart Institute, click here.
Top: (L-R) Stony Brook University Heart Institute’s Allison J. McLarty, Thomas V. Bilfinger, Vinay Tak, Joanna Chikwe, T.F. Cheng and Henry J. Tannous. (Courtesy of Stony Brook University Hospital.)
