Becker's Healthcare named the following institutions to the 2018 edition of the "100 hospitals and health systems with great heart programs."
The hospitals named on this list are national leaders in cardiovascular healthcare and have invested in their cardiology and cardiovascular surgery programs. Many institutions pioneered groundbreaking procedures and remain on the forefront of heart care today. Others are high-volume centers that have exceeded national benchmarks for quality and survivorship. All have received recognition for delivering top-notch patient care, and many are also involved in clinical research and trials.
To develop this list, the Becker's Healthcare editorial team examined several reputable rankings and award agencies, including U.S. News & World Report rankings for cardiology and heart surgery, IBM Watson Health's cardiovascular hospital rankings, CareChex rankings for cardiac care, Blue Distinction Centers for cardiac care, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons star rankings.
Contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments on this list.
Note: Hospitals do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. This list is not a ranking and organizations are presented in alphabetical order.
Advocate Christ Medical Center (Oak Lawn, Ill.). With one of the busiest ventricular assist device programs in Illinois, Advocate Heart Institute at Christ Medical Center physicians perform more than 5,000 cardiac procedures each year. Advocate Heart Institute at Christ Medical Center records more than 1,300 open-heart surgeries on average annually — more than any hospital in Illinois. With experts and specialists in various conditions, physicians at the hospital routinely publish findings and national guidelines in numerous journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine.
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. On average, surgeons at the Heart Center at Lurie Children's perform 450 heart surgeries annually, with one of the best survival rates for congenital heart surgery among the country's 40 largest children's hospitals. Interventional cardiologists also perform more than 550 cardiac catheterization procedures. With so many procedures conducted, the hospital estimates cardiologists see 10,000-plus pediatric patients in outpatient diagnostic visits and more than 300 inpatients. Lurie Children's high success rate helped it land the No. 3 spot on U.S. News & World Report's list of Best Hospitals for Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery in 2018-19. Additionally, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons rated the hospital three stars, the highest rating level, in 2018.
Aspirus Wausau (Wis.). Spanning 11 regional clinic sites, Aspirus Heart & Vascular serves the 450,000 residents of a 14-county region. Various organizations have taken notice of Aspirus Wausau's success, including IBM Watson Health, which listed Aspirus Wausau as one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals in 2018. This is the 11th year Aspirus Wausau has landed on the list, and it was the only hospital in north central Wisconsin to make the 2018 list. With physicians in multiple specialties, Aspirus Wausau is a Blue Cross Blue Shield Distinction Center for heart care. CareChex also recognized the hospital as one of the best in the state for cardiac surgery.
Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center (Milwaukee). For more than 50 years, Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center has been devoted to providing heart and vascular care. From completing Wisconsin's first heart transplant in 1968 to landing a spot on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery list, Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center has remained a leader in the specialty. To date, the hospital has completed approximately 900 transplants, more than any health system in the state. The hospital was also the first in the state to implant a minimally invasive leadless pacemaker. Heart transplants and pacemakers are not the only area in which the hospital excels — the hospital's transcatheter aortic valve replacement program has also helped nearly 2,000 patients who are unable to have surgical heart valve replacements.
Baystate Health (Springfield, Mass.). Baystate Health's heart and vascular program offers comprehensive services for adult and pediatric cardiovascular care. The health system's Regional Heart Attack Program aims to provide angioplasty up to 25 minutes sooner than the national average, and its door-to-balloon time ranks in the top 10 percent of the country. Each year, Baystate's specialists treat around 300 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, the most severe type of heart attack. In addition to clinical care, the health system's specialists engage in more than 100 cardiology-focused clinical trials, including evaluation of new stents, drugs and stem cell research. The health system's flagship hospital, Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, earned a spot on IBM Watson Health's 2018 list of 50 top cardiovascular hospitals.
Banner University Medical Center (Phoenix). The Heart Institute at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix has the top cryoballoon atrial fibrillation ablation in the country, with no major complications in over 3,000 cases. As a leader in heart care, the Heart Institute at Banner is unique in its area for its women's heart center. The hospital records the largest tertiary referral program volume with the best outcomes in the state. Its accomplishments in care landed Banner University Medical Center on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery list in 2018-19. Banner University Medical Center is also ranked among CareChex's top hospitals for heart failure treatment in Arizona. With nine heart specialists on staff, the Heart Institute at Banner offers cardiology, interventional cardiology and structural heart fellowships.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis). Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center is all about firsts. In February 2015, the hospital was selected to participate in the American College of Cardiology Patient Navigator Program, a first of its kind cardiology program. The center was one of the first in the U.S. to perform transcatheter aortic valve replacements, and in October 2015, Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center recorded its 500th TAVR case. Since then the heart hospital has continued to display excellence. In July 2016, Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center's Cardiac Surgery received Top Performer awards from Professional Research Consultants. Most recently, the hospital earned the No. 12 spot on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery 2018-19 list.
Baylor University Medical Center BSW Heart and Vascular Hospital (Dallas). The Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital opened in 2013 after a merger between Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare. The hospital has a record as a leader, being the first to conduct an abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery and the first to conduct a coronary atherectomy in north Texas. The Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital was the first hospital in north Texas to be dedicated entirely to heart and vascular patients. Being a leader in care and ahead of the curve, the hospital earned the 2018 Women's Choice Award as one of America's Best Hospitals for Heart Care.
Beaumont Hospital (Royal Oak, Mich.). Physicians at Beaumont Hospital are pioneers in less invasive techniques. The hospital recorded one of the first aortic valve replacements with a catheter through a small incision in the leg. Beaumont Hospital offers a comprehensive atrial fibrillation clinic to perform pacemaker implants, left atrial appendage closure implants and cardioversions, among other procedures. With nationally ranked cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons, and specialists, Beaumont Hospital earned a position on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery in 2018-19. This is the 24th consecutive year the hospital has been included on the list.
Bellin Health (Green Bay, Wis.). Bellin Health's Heart and Vascular team collectively has more than 40 years of experience in cardiovascular care. The team provides minimally invasive cardiac surgery, robotic thoracic surgery, and treatment for acquired and congenital heart disorders. The hospital's heart attack team reports a door-to-balloon time of 49 minutes, well below the 90-minute national average. Two of the health system's sites also offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures.
Boston Children's Hospital. A team of 72 cardiologists, eight cardiac surgeons and 13 cardiac anesthesiologists help treat patients at Boston Children's Hospital Heart Center, which comprises 44 inpatient cardiac beds, 31 cardiac intensive care beds and eight outpatient clinic locations. On top of its team of skilled surgeons, Boston Children's Hospital Heart Center employs more than 300 specialized cardiovascular nurses. Between October 2016 and September 2017, clinicians performed 21,237 echocardiograms and recorded 24,079 outpatient visits. Before being known as one of the best heart hospitals, Boston Children's Hospital was the first hospital to perform a pediatric congenital heart defect correctional surgery in 1938. Today, the hospital is ranked among U.S. News & World Report's top hospitals for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, ranking No. 2 on the 2018-19 list.
Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston). The Brigham and Women's Hospital Heart & Vascular Center ranked No. 8 on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery list. With a reputation as one of the best for heart care, more than 50,000 patients visit the center annually. Surgeons at the heart center performed 680-plus heart transplants between 1984 and 2016, more than any hospital in the area. Brigham and Women's Hospital also features the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, which features 16 surgical suites and 136 inpatient rooms. Within the hospital, the heart center employs more than 150 training interns and 300-plus clinical and research fellows each year. The Heart and Vascular Center team comprises more than 200 physician specialists and over 450 nurses.
Carilion Roanoke (Va.) Memorial Hospital. After 30 years of providing advanced surgical care for cardiac and thoracic surgery patients, surgeons at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital's heart center have performed more than 21,000 heart and lung procedures. IBM Watson Health ranked Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital among the nation's top 50 cardiovascular hospitals. Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is also accredited by the American College of Cardiology Accreditation Services.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles). A leader in heart care, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Smidt Heart Institute ranked No. 3 on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery list in 2018-19. The Smidt Heart Institute was formed in February after Cedars-Sinai Medical Center received a $50 million gift — the largest donation in the hospital's 116-year history — to advance research and treatment of heart conditions. Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, spearheads the Smidt Heart Institute, which boasts 16 centers, 100 physicians and various programs to diagnose and treat the full spectrum of heart and vascular conditions. Specialists from all over the U.S. come to the institute, which touts a 91.59 percent patient survival rate one year after heart transplants.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been a leader in heart care for more than 80 years. The nonprofit hospital's surgeons performed the first pediatric heart surgery on the West Coast, and it was the first West Coast hospital to establish a pediatric cardiothoracic intensive care unit. The hospital's Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit admits about 900 patients per year and is the largest unit for pediatric cardiac critical care patients in Southern California. U.S. News & World Report ranked Children's Hospital Los Angeles as a top five hospital in the nation for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19.
The Christ Hospital Health Network (Cincinnati). Physicians at The Christ Hospital Health Network have developed several new techniques in cardiovascular medicine over the past two decades, and the network's Carl H. & Edyth Lindner Heart Failure Treatment Center is the only dedicated heart failure program in the region. In 2018, CareChex ranked The Christ Hospital Health Network's Christ Hospital as one of the top 50 hospitals in the nation for heart failure treatment, and it received the American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline Bronze Referring Quality Achievement Award for providing high-quality care to heart attack patients.
Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic's Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute is one of the largest thoracic and cardiovascular specialty groups in the world and includes more than 40 specialty centers and clinics to provide care to patients with all forms of cardiovascular disease. Its physicians and surgeons treated more than 604,055 patients from 76 countries in 2016 and conducted 4,284 cardiac surgeries. Cleveland Clinic earned the top spot on U.S. News & World Report's list of the Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery in 2018-19.
Cone Health (Greensboro, N.C.). The Cone Health Heart & Vascular Center at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro includes more than 50 cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and vascular surgeons. Cone Health promotes clinical research through the LeBauer-Brodie Center for Cardiovascular Research and Education, which was integrated with the system's Heart and Vascular Center in 2016. In 2018, CareChex ranked Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for major cardiac surgery, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association designated the hospital a Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care.
University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital (Ann Arbor). University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital is an international referral center for children with complex congenital heart disease. One of the primary goals of the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Congenital Heart Center is to support research, and it drives discoveries and innovation forward through the Michigan Congenital Heart Outcomes Research and Discovery Program as well as the Michigan Congenital Heart Innovations Collaborative. U.S. News & World Report ranked C.S. Mott Children's Hospital the No. 4 pediatric hospital in the nation for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19.
Duke University Hospital (Durham, N.C.). Cardiologists at Duke University Hospital perform more than 5,500 cardiac catheterizations each year, and the hospital performed its 1,000th heart transplant in 2014. Duke University Hospital helped develop a statewide program to ensure patients having a heart attack are evaluated quickly and treated promptly, and the program has improved survival for people suffering heart attacks. Duke University Hospital earned the No. 15 spot on U.S. News & World Report's list of the Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery in 2018-19, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association named the hospital a Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care.
El Camino Hospital (Mountain View, Calif.). El Camino Hospital's Norma Melchor Heart & Vascular Institute exceeds national hospital averages for six quality measures, including emergency heart attack treatment, artery bypass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention. In 2018, CareChex ranked El Camino Hospital as one of the top 50 hospitals in the nation for major cardiac surgery. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association designated El Camino Hospital a Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care.
Emory University Hospital (Atlanta). Emory University Hospital is a major referral center for patients with complex cardiac problems. Emory's heart failure clinic handles more than 2,400 patient visits per year, and Emory surgeons have performed more than 750 heart transplants.
Good Samaritan Hospital (Cincinnati). Part of Cincinnati-based TriHealth, Good Samaritan Hospital was the first hospital in Cincinnati to repair aortic aneurysms with fenestrated stents, and it is one of four hospitals in Ohio to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Good Samaritan's door-to-balloon time — the amount of time from when a patient arrives at the emergency room to when artery-opening treatment begins — is an average of 50 to 60 minutes, compared to the national benchmark of 90 minutes. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association designated Good Samaritan Hospital a Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care. Good Samaritan Hospital is ranked No. 5 on CareChex's 2019 list of the best hospitals in Ohio for major cardiac surgery.
Hackensack Meridian Health (Edison, N.J.). Hackensack Meridian Health offers comprehensive cardiac care, including 24/7 emergency angioplasty teams at seven of its hospitals throughout New Jersey. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association designated the Hackensack University Medical Center a Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care.
Baylor Scott & White Heart Hospital-Plano (Texas). Surgeons at Baylor Scott & White Heart Hospital-Plano performed more than 3,300 surgeries in 2016, and robotic surgery volumes increased by 35 percent between 2015 and 2016. In November 2017, the hospital, which opened in 2007, completed its 1,000th transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedure. The hospital has been recognized for providing high-quality cardiac care by U.S. News & World Report, which ranked it No. 21 in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19. Nearly 3,000 patients have participated in clinical trials conducted through the hospital since 2008.
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (Newport Beach, Calif.). The Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian provides a variety of inpatient and outpatient services, including a heart valve center, a congestive heart failure clinic and a vascular lab. Cardiovascular surgeons at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian repair more heart valves each year than 90 percent of all cardiac programs in the nation. Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is designated a Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Houston Methodist Hospital. The Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center is a destination for patients with heart disease, boasting 10 operating rooms, nine catheterization labs and 43 transplant beds. The hospital has more than 125 heart specialists on staff and 1,000 employees who care for patients with adult congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure and cardiac tumors. Beyond clinical care, the hospital's specialists focus on research and are engaged in more than 100 clinical trials. U.S. News & World Report ranked the hospital No. 14 in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19.
Huntington Hospital (Pasadena, Calif.). Heart specialists at Huntington Hospital Heart and Vascular Center perform around 2,000 catheterizations and electrophysiology procedures as well as around 42,000 noninvasive cardiac diagnostic procedures annually. The center's 38 physicians and specialists treat patients with a wide spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, and the center's cardiothoracic surgery program is engaged in ongoing clinical trials. Huntington Hospital is a participant in the California Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Outcomes Reporting Program to collect data on heart procedures. In 2017, the hospital earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, Va.). The Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is a 410,000-square-foot facility that houses 156 patient rooms and 48 intensive coronary care beds. The facility also has six operating rooms, a cardiac catheterization suite and a heart-healthy café. Specialists at the center provide heart and lung transplants as well as minimally invasive surgical interventions and robotic-assisted surgery. In addition to clinical care, the institute's physicians focus on continued research and development with clinical trials for advanced heart failure, cardiovascular surgery and electrophysiology, among others. Inova also supports a Cardiovascular Genomics Center, which focuses on inherited genetic disorders.
IU Health (Indianapolis). The IU Health Heart and Vascular Care program serves as a state and regional referral source for the most complex advanced heart, lung and vascular disease conditions and treats more patients than any other heart and vascular program in the state. The institution's surgeons performed the first private hospital cardiac transplant in the world and developed technology that spurred the creation of an ultrasound for the heart. IU Health Medical Center was ranked among the top 50 hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery for 2018-19 by U.S. News & World Report. Two of the system's hospitals in Bloomington, Ind., and Tipton, Ind., also ranked No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, on CareChex's Hospital Quality Ratings 2018 for medical excellence in heart failure treatment.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). Johns Hopkins surgeons were instrumental in developing techniques used in major heart operations across the globe. In the 1950s, surgeons developed the first cardiac defibrillator and CPR. In May 2012, the Johns Hopkins Heart and Vascular Institute moved to its new location in Sheikh Zayed Tower, a $1.1 billion building with 355 patient rooms. U.S. News & World Report named the hospital No. 11 in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19. The hospital also ranked among the top 50 hospitals in Maryland for medical excellence in heart failure treatment on CareChex's Hospital Quality Ratings 2018.
John Muir Health-Concord (Calif.) Medical Center. The Cardiovascular Institute at John Muir Health is a six-story patient care tower on the health system's Concord, Calif., campus. The tower includes 61 private cardiovascular rooms as well as an expanded emergency department, five catheterization labs and a 12-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit. In 2018, the institute earned the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and has been designated a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care. Concord Medical Center also participates in the ACTION Registry and met high performance standards for specific heart attack measures for eight consecutive quarters, earning the Platinum Performance Achievement Award this year.
Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.). Using a team-based preventive approach, physicians across the system's 39 hospitals have reduced severe heart attacks by 72 percent during the past 15 years. Kaiser facilities in California, Colorado and Georgia also received the Million Hearts organization's Hypertension Control Champions designation in 2017 for helping patients achieve blood pressure control rates of 70 percent or above. CareChex's 2018 Hospital Quality Ratings ranked six Kaiser facilities among the top 100 hospitals in California for medical excellence in heart failure treatment.
Keck Hospital of USC (Los Angeles). Keck Hospital of USC is a 401-bed facility and part of the system's flagship institution, Keck Medical Center of USC. The institution is also home to the Cardiovascular Thoracic Institute, formed in 2006 by Vaughn A. Starnes, MD, who also serves as its director. Since its inception, the institute has grown to include over 200 clinical specialists. Patients can participate in more than 655 clinical trials offered by the institution. U.S. News & World Report ranked Keck Hospital among the top 50 institutions for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19.
Lankenau Medical Center (Wynnewood, Pa.). Part of Bryn Mawr, Pa.-based Main Line Health, the 331-bed Lankenau Medical Center provides a number of heart-related services. A team of cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and subspecialists at the Lankenau Heart Institute provide heart care to patients across Main Line Health's four hospitals and 23 community sites. In 2014, the hospital established the Aortic Wellness Center to provide comprehensive aortic disease care. The heart institute's surgeons have performed more than 1,300 robotic heart bypass procedures — more than any hospital nationwide. Lankenau Medical Center was named among the top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in the U.S. by Truven Health Analytics in 2017.
Lehigh Valley Hospital (Allentown, Pa.). Lehigh Valley Hospital is the flagship facility of Allentown-based Lehigh Valley Health Network. The institution is also home to the Lehigh Valley Heart Institute, which houses five specialized heart programs, including an advanced heart failure program and a heart and vascular program for women. The institute's heart rhythm team performs 1,800 procedures annually — twice as many as any other provider in the region. The institute's cardiothoracic surgeons collectively have more than 90 years of experience and have performed an estimated 20,000 surgical procedures.
Loyola University Medical Center (Maywood, Ill.). Loyola's Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center — staffed by 97 specialists — comprises a day hospital, an image renewal center, and extensive research laboratories, offices and educational space. The institution was ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report for 2018-19. CareChex also ranked Loyola Medicine among the top 50 hospitals in Illinois for medical excellence in heart failure treatment for its Hospital Quality Ratings 2018.
Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston). In 1916, Massachusetts General Hospital opened the first dedicated cardiac unit in the nation. Since then, the unit has evolved into the Massachusetts General Hospital Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, which houses multispecialty teams for each of its 11 condition-specific programs. Providers within the heart center have pioneered several surgical advancements, including heart monitors to detect and treat arrhythmias, and pacemakers. Massachusetts General Hospital, part of Boston-based Partners HealthCare, was ranked No. 5 for cardiology and heart surgery for 2018-19 by U.S. News & World Report.
Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Mayo Clinic's cardiovascular medicine department is one of the largest and most integrated practices nationwide, with more than 240 cardiologists and 1,400 allied health professionals across the health system's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. The department is also currently involved in 252 cardiovascular-centric clinical trials, which are typically led by the Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Research Center. The center is home to eight cardiovascular research programs and resources designed to translate scientific discoveries from the lab into cutting-edge treatments and therapies for patients. The health system was ranked the No. 2 institution for cardiology and heart surgery for 2018-19 by U.S. News & World Report. Similarly, the Mayo Clinic Children's Center is consistently ranked among the best hospitals for pediatric heart surgery.
MedStar Washington Hospital Center (Washington, D.C.). MedStar Washington Hospital Center is part of the MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute, which employs more than 140 physician specialists across nine MedStar hospitals. In 2013, the institute entered into a first-of-its-kind alliance with the Cleveland Clinic — ranked the No. 1 hospital for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report for 2018-19 — to enhance access to innovative cardiovascular care and research. Providers at the Heart & Vascular Institute perform approximately 2,300 cardiac surgeries annually. The hospital was named among the top 50 hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19 by U.S. News.
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (Houston). The 230,000-square-foot Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center officially opened in 2008. Since then, the eight-story facility has undergone numerous expansions and has grown to become one of the top heart and vascular programs in the nation. In 2011, the institute opened its Aortic Center and became the first institution to perform robotic reconstructive aortic surgery. The following year, officials opened the Complex Arrhythmia Center, which offers a toolkit of heart rhythm treatments to patients.U.S. News & World Report ranked Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center among the top 50 hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19.
MemorialCare Long Beach (Calif.) Medical Center. Cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons of the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center perform more than 15,000 diagnostic and 4,000 invasive and surgical procedures each year. Long Beach Medical Center carried out its first operation to remove problematic pacemaker leads nearly two decades ago, and its team has now performed around 1,000 extractions. Long Beach Medical Center is among the few hospitals in the nation to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a treatment for patients who were once considered inoperable.
Mercy Hospital (Coon Rapids, Minn.). Mercy Hospital is part of Minneapolis-based nonprofit Allina Health, which includes 12 hospitals, nearly 90 clinics and more than 29,000 employees. The hospital's Heart & Vascular Center is highly ranked by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for its heart bypass surgery program. The center is also home to an accredited chest pain center and primary stroke center. Mercy Hospital was ranked as the No. 10 hospital in Minnesota for medical excellence in heart failure treatment by CareChex Hospital Quality Ratings 2018.
Miami Valley Hospital (Dayton). Since establishing its first coronary care unit in 1965, Miami Valley Hospital has become a powerhouse for cardiac treatments. For five consecutive years, Healthgrades has named Miami Valley Hospital one of America's 100 best hospitals for cardiac care. As part of its cardiovascular services, Miami Valley Hospital offers heart patients psychological support, a supervised exercise program, and ongoing education about diet, medications, cardiac technology and coping skills.
Michigan Medicine (Ann Arbor). Specialists at Michigan Medicine's Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center treat more than 6,000 hospital inpatients and 35,000 outpatients annually. In 2017, U.S. News & World Report recognized Michigan Medicine's Frankel Cardiovascular Center as the state's top heart program and the No. 10 heart program in the U.S. The entity also opened a hybrid operating suite twice the size of a standard operating room, enabling catheter-based interventions and open surgeries to be performed simultaneously in the same space.
Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Abbott Northwestern's Heart Hospital, a 256-bed facility with expanded space for the cardiovascular program, was established in 2005. In 2018-19, Abbott Northwestern Hospital earned the No. 19 spot for cardiology and heart surgery in U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals ranking. With a commitment to clinical advancement, the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital had 2,225 clinic patients participating or enrolled in research studies in 2016.
Montefiore Health System (Bronx, N.Y.). The Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care performed its first open-heart surgery in 1957 and used the first transvenous pacemaker system a year later. Since then, the heart center has remained on the forefront of innovation in adult and pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. The center's three-year survival rate for heart transplants is 89 percent for adults, compared to the 85 percent national average, and 100 percent for pediatric patients, compared to an 89 percent national average. The center is also committed to research, and its specialists are engaged in clinical trials. The Society for Thoracic Surgeons gave the hospital the highest possible three-star rating for quality cardiovascular surgical care.
Morristown (N.J.) Medical Center. Morristown Medical Center's Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute is home to New Jersey's largest cardiac surgery program. The organization ranked No. 20 on U.S. News & World Report's list of Best Hospitals for Cardiology & Heart Surgery for 2018-19. Morristown Medical's team of more than 100 surgeons perform 700-plus valve operations each year.
Mission Hospital (Mission Viejo, Calif.). The 523-bed Mission Hospital established its Mission Heart Center in 1985. The hospital now serves as a designated cardiac receiving center, with a cardiac response team prepared to treat heart attack patients around the clock. The hospital's heart physicians care for patients in a 27-room cardiac intensive care unit and a 34-bed cardiac telemetry unit, and those in its emergency chest-pain center can diagnose and treat patients in as little as 30 minutes.
MUSC Health (Charleston, S.C.). With locations throughout the Charleston region, the MUSC Health Heart and Vascular Center has a team of about 50 specialists. As of September 2017, the center employed seven of the nine heart failure-certified cardiologists in South Carolina. In May 2018, MUSC Health became the first hospital in the state and the second in the U.S. to use a new heart-mapping technology to gain insight into heart rhythm problems.
The Mount Sinai Hospital (New York City). Established in 2006, Mount Sinai Heart has been ranked No. 10 in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report for 2018-19. The center frequently leads large clinical trials, engaging in research on topics such as arrhythmia, heart disease prevention, congenital heart conditions and valvular heart disease. Extending its reach globally, the institute has partnered with various organizations on cardiovascular health projects, including a hypertension management program in Kenya and a population-based intervention initiative in Grenada.
Nebraska Medicine (Omaha). Nebraska Medicine's heart and vascular network consists of more than 80 specialists, including radiologists, cardiologists, cardiac anesthesiology and cardiac/vascular surgeons. In 2018, Nebraska Medicine touted the state's first heart/lung transplant and, as of February, reported its 289th heart transplant patient. Nebraska Medicine also has one of the nation's largest ventricular assist device programs, with heart and vascular specialists implanting 60 ventricular assist devices annually.
NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City). NewYork-Presbyterian treats heart disease at three heart centers: the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell; the Vivian and Seymour Milstein Family Heart Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia; and the William Acquavella Heart Valve Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia is home to one of the nation's first heart transplant programs. Surgeons involved with the heart transplant program perform between 70 and 100 transplants annually. In 2018, U.S. News & World Report ranked NewYork-Presbyterian's Columbia and Cornell hospitals No. 4 in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery.
NorthShore University HealthSystem (Evanston, Ill). NorthShore's cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, advanced practice nurses and physician assistants provide heart care across multiple specialties. The health system also partners with Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic to offer e-consults as second opinions from Mayo's heart specialists and investigators. NorthShore Cardiovascular Institute serves patients at nine locations across northern Illinois, and its cardiovascular team includes more than 40 experts in every cardiac specialty.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago). The Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute comprises six clinical centers focused on coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders, heart valve disease, preventive cardiology and vascular disease. At the center for heart failure, clinicians have achieved among the highest heart failure survival rate in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranked Northwestern Memorial Hospital's cardiology and heart surgery program No. 7 in the nation in 2018-19. The publication has ranked Northwestern Memorial's cardiovascular program a top 10 cardiology and heart surgery program for four consecutive years.
NYU Langone Hospitals (New York City). NYU Langone heart programs have achieved national recognition. U.S. News & World Report ranked NYU Langone among the nation's top 50 hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19. CareChex also ranks NYU Langone No. 7 in the nation for major cardiac surgery. In addition to clinical care for heart and vascular conditions, NYU Langone offers preventive services such as nutritional counseling and psychosocial support services to heart patients and families. In 2016, NYU Langone Medical Center received a nearly $4 million research grant from the American Heart Association to investigate the causes of heart attacks in women and research new stress management techniques for women who suffer from heart attacks at the Sarah Ross Soter Center for Women's Cardiovascular Research.
Oklahoma Heart Hospital (Oklahoma City). Oklahoma Heart Hospital is an all-digital, physician-owned facility. It has north and south campuses, along with a network of more than 70 cardiovascular specialists at more than 60 clinic and hospital locations in Oklahoma. Surgeons at Oklahoma Heart Hospital's heart valve institute have performed more than 200 transcatheter aortic heart valve replacements. CareChex ranks the hospital No. 13 for major cardiac surgery.
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus). Ohio State's Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital is a 150-bed facility designed specifically for cardiac surgery and vascular medicine. In addition to focusing on cardiac care, Ohio State University emphasizes heart research at the Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, with more than 200 active trials examining heart and vascular disease. The Ohio State University Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital is ranked No. 24 in cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report. Ohio State physicians and engineers use digital technology to provide treatment, including 3D printed aortas and computer models that match the patient's anatomy.
Oregon Health and Science University Hospital (Portland). Clinicians at Oregon Health and Science University Hospital use various therapies to treat heart failure. The hospital is home of the Knight Cardiovascular Institute, an integrated center for translational research, clinical care, professional training and outreach related to heart and vascular disease. In 2018, the hospital's heart failure and transplant program earned the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus recognition. Oregon Health and Science University Hospital was ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report for 2018-19.
Penn Medicine (Philadelphia). Each year, Penn Medicine's cardiovascular surgeons perform more than 2,000 procedures at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Pennsylvania Hospital. In 2018, U.S. News & World Report ranked Penn Medicine No. 6 in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery. The health system is also focused on advancing patient care through research with the Penn Cardiovascular Institute, established in 2005 as a multidisciplinary group of translational researchers.
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (Hershey, Pa). Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey offers the only heart transplant center in south central Pennsylvania. The program reached a milestone this summer, performing the 500th heart transplant. U.S. News & World Report recognized it as high performing in cardiology and heart surgery in 2017-18. The medical center's Penn State Health Heart and Vascular Institute earned The Joint Commission's advanced certification for heart failure and left ventricle assist device destination therapy for patients with advanced heart failure. Aetna Institute of Quality for Cardiac Medical Intervention and Cardiac Surgery also recognized the institute for rhythm disease diagnosis and treatment.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (New Brunswick, N.J.). Robert Wood Johnson is one of the top cardiac hospitals in the U.S. Its heart surgeons perform more than 1,000 cardiothoracic surgical procedures annually, and 13 patients underwent heart transplants there in 2017. Its heart surgeons are nationally recognized for their expertise in minimally invasive techniques, and the teaching hospital leads New Jersey in performing beating heart surgeries.
ProMedica Toledo (Ohio) Hospital. ProMedica Toledo Hospital has a cardiologist on site at all hours of the day to treat patients with chronic heart conditions as well as in emergencies. The hospital's surgeons perform the most cardiothoracic procedures in the Toledo region — more than 900 annually. In January, ProMedica Toledo Hospital opened the ProMedica Heart Rhythm Center, featuring three electrophysiology labs, 3D cardiac mapping and space to deliver treatment for arrhythmia. The hospital has been recognized for its heart care, including IBM Watson Health ranking it among the nation's top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in 2017.
Rush University Medical Center (Chicago). Rush University Medical Center earned the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2017 Million Hearts Hypertension Control Challenge, one of 24 institutions in the nation to receive this honor. In 2015, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons bestowed Rush's cardiovascular and thoracic surgery department with a three-star rating for its lobectomy program. The hospital's cardiology and thoracic surgery, adult cardiology and pediatric cardiology departments comprise 77 physicians.
Sanford USD Medical Center (Sioux Falls, S.D.). As South Dakota's largest hospital, Sanford USD Medical Center comprises 545 beds, 4,000 employees and a level 2 trauma emergency care center. The medical center's heart hospital is home to more than 750 doctors, nurses and support specialists. Sanford Heart Hospital offers inpatient and outpatient surgery, echocardiography and nuclear medicine with gamma cameras. In 2018, Sanford Health was recognized by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the hospital's work in helping patients control their hypertension. Sanford was one of 24 health systems to receive recognition as a Million Hearts hypertension control champion in 2018.
Scripps Health (San Diego). Scripps Health is one of the largest providers of cardiovascular care in San Diego, with a physician staff of 117 heart specialists and more than 760,000 patients who receive cardiovascular care there annually. In 2015, Scripps Health Memorial Hospital in La Jolla opened its $456 million Prebys Cardiovascular Institute, which comprises 108 private care rooms and 59 intensive care rooms. The institute also has six catheter labs for interventional cardiology, diagnostic testing and digital imaging.
Sentara Norfolk (Va.) General Hospital-Sentara Heart Hospital. With six catheterization labs for diagnostic and interventional procedures, Sentara Heart Hospital was designed to accommodate 2,000 surgeries annually. The hospital has 112 inpatient beds and 45 pre- and post-procedural rooms. U.S. News & World Report ranked the Sentara Heart Hospital among the top 50 in the nation for adult cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19. Sentara's multidisciplinary team of experts includes more than 100 board-certified cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons and anesthesiologists.
Spectrum Health (Grand Rapids, Mich.). In December 2017, Spectrum Health's Richard DeVos Heart & Lung Transplant Program completed its 100th heart transplant. The health system also runs the Frederik Meijer Heart & Vascular Institute, which has 164 beds, 67 physicians and 86 advanced practice providers. The institute is one of only 11 centers in the U.S. to achieve a three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for congenital heart surgery based on the overall observed-to-expected ratio for operative mortality.
St. Cloud Hospital (St. Cloud, Minn.). Specialists at the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center at St. Cloud Hospital see more than 30,000 patients annually. With 25 cardiologists and surgeons on staff, CentraCare is also home to six physicians who specialize in electrophysiology. U.S. News & World Report named CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center one of the nation's top 50 hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association also recognized the center as a Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care, and in 2018, the center's heart and thoracic surgery program received Consumer Reports' top rating for heart bypass and aortic valve replacement surgery, one of 18 nationwide hospitals to earn the honor.
St. Francis Hospital (Roslyn, N.Y.). St. Francis Hospital's DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research and Education has one of the largest cardiac surgical volumes in New York, completing more than 110,000 cardiac catheterizations, 33,000 angioplasties and 14,000 open-heart surgeries in the last 10 years. St. Francis also earned the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association's Get with the Guidelines Gold and Silver awards for both stroke and heart failure in 2018. The hospital is conducting cardiac imaging studies to examine the underlying mechanisms of heart disease.
St. Luke's Hospital (Kansas City, Mo.). St. Luke's Hospital is home to one of the region's longest continuously operating adult heart transplant programs. With a team of 85 board-certified cardiovascular experts, the hospital's Mid America Heart Institute is home to one of the country's largest heart failure and heart transplant programs and was ranked No. 38 on U.S. News & World Report's list of America's top 50 cardiology and heart surgery programs in 2017-18. In September, the hospital performed its 800th heart transplant and was recognized as the top heart transplant program for patient survival in the U.S. by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
St. Thomas West Hospital (Nashville, Tenn.). In 1985, St. Thomas West Hospital became home to Tennessee's first heart transplant program. The hospital now admits about 20 potential transplant candidates a month and has performed more than 450 heart transplants. It comprises a variety of specialty clinics, including aortic heart disease, valvular heart disease and advanced congestive failure. The program has Joint Commission certifications in chest pain and advanced ventricular assist device as well as recognition as a three-star surgical program for isolated aortic valve replacement and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for 2017. St. Thomas Heart participates in more than 20 clinical research trials of scientific standards to advance high quality innovation in cardiovascular patient care.
St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana (Indianapolis). An Ascension affiliate, St. Vincent Heart Center is home to more than 180 cardiovascular physicians and 300 heart care associates. The center received Healthgrades Excellence awards in outstanding patient experience and patient safety from 2015-17, an honor achieved by only 3 percent of hospitals nationwide. In 2015, the hospital also received Healthgrades Clinical Quality awards for coronary interventions and vascular surgery. St. Vincent Heart Center completed 11,500 heart procedures and 1,815 open-heart surgeries in 2015. It was also Indiana's first hospital to implement a robotic-assisted thoracic surgery program, completing more than 1,000 procedures annually.
Stanford (Calif.) Health Care. Stanford Health Care sees more than 5,000 patients for advanced heart and vascular care annually. In 2018-19, Stanford Hospital was ranked No. 13 on U.S. News & World Report's best hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery list. Stanford's cardiovascular institute consists of more than 241 faculty members, which represent physicians, surgeons, engineers and researchers. Stanford Medicine completed the first U.S. adult heart transplant in 1968. Since then, the hospital's medical teams have performed more than 1,200 heart transplants. Stanford Medicine oversees 25 heart and vascular clinics and programs, including its adult congenital heart association program, which is in collaboration with Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. The program is accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association.
Sutter Medical Center (Sacramento, Calif.). Since its inception in 1957, the Sutter Heart and Vascular Institute has been recognized for various "firsts" in the greater Sacramento area, including the first successful open-heart surgery and pediatric open-heart surgery. In 2017, Sutter Health Network received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and was named to the elite level of the AHA's Target: Stroke Honor Roll. Since performing the hospital's first heart transplant in 1989, expert cardiovascular surgeons at Sutter have completed more than 100 of them. In 2017, Sutter Medical Center was named one of the nation's top 50 cardiovascular hospitals by IBM Watson Health.
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Tampa General Hospital's 77,000-square-foot cardiovascular center includes six cardiac catheterization labs, seven interventional radiology suites, eight cardiac operating rooms, a hybrid heart valve operating room and 47 pre- and post-procedure patient rooms. The hospital became the first in Florida to perform a heart transplant in 1985, and more than 1,000 patients have qualified to receive a transplant since then. Tampa General is an American Heart Association "Life is Why" sponsor, and it works with the AHA to raise awareness about the warning signs of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Texas Children's Hospital (Houston). The Heart Center at Texas Children's Hospital cares for more than 17,000 patients and performs more than 800 surgeries yearly. The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium named the hospital the first Pediatric Heart Failure Institute in Texas — a designation shared by only four other programs in the country. The hospital is ranked No.1 in pediatric cardiology and heart surgery on U.S. News & World Report's Best Children's Hospitals 2018-19 list. In 2017, the heart center performed 926 surgical procedures, 1,241 cardiac catheterizations, 31,303 diagnostic testing and cardiac imaging services and 2,970 cardiovascular anesthesia procedures. The heart center moved into Texas Children's newly built Legacy Tower, and it now includes an outpatient clinic, four cardiac catheterization labs, a 48-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit, four cardiovascular operating rooms and 42 cardiology acute care beds.
Texas Heart Institute at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center (Houston). The Texas Heart Institute's professional staff includes 170-plus cardiovascular surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, pathologists, scientists and specialists. In 2016, the institute opened enrollment for the first combination cell therapy clinical trial for patients with heart failure. The study is expected to enroll 144 patients over two years. This year, the heart institute teamed with Rice University in Houston to develop machine-learning algorithms that can guide pacemakers, allowing for more patient-specific delivery of care. The researchers received a grant from the National Science Foundation. The hospital is No. 22 in cardiology and heart surgery on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals 2018-19 list.
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Philadelphia). A core component of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's heart and vascular service line is the 33 full-time physicians within the cardiology division at Thomas Jefferson University. The hospital includes an angioplasty center, advanced heart failure and transplant center and structural heart program. In 2008, the hospital received a five-year, $11.6 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to study heart failure. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is No. 39 for cardiology and heart surgery on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals 2018-19 list.
UAB Hospital (Birmingham, Ala.). UAB Hospital includes 13 cardiovascular surgeons and one outreach site surgeon. In 2017, the hospital's heart and cardiovascular program earned $151.6 million in external federal and nonfederal research funding. The hospital includes 19 clinical trial studies for heart disease, 12 for heart failure and two for atrial fibrillation. U.S. News & World Report named UAB Hospital No. 18 in cardiology and heart surgery on its best hospitals 2018-19 list. The hospital plans to further develop its cardio-oncology program and adult congenital heart disease program as well as explore new therapies and treatments for cardiac valve disease.
UC San Diego Health. So far in 2018, the UC San Diego Health's Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center physicians and medical staff have performed 48 ventricular assist device procedures, 54 heart transplants, 900 cardiac surgery cases and 3,700 cardiac catheterization procedures. The center opened in 2011 supported by a $10 million gift from Richard and Maria Sulpizio and performed a rare cardiac surgery called heterotopic heart transplantation the same year. In 2012, the center made it onto Soliant's list of the 20 Most Beautiful Hospitals in America. U.S. News & World Report ranked UC San Diego Health No. 40 for cardiology and heart surgery in its best hospitals 2018-19 list.
UCLA Health (Los Angeles). UCLA Health's cardiovascular physicians performed 1,050-plus cardiovascular surgeries and more than 6,300 cardiovascular interventions/procedures in 2017. The health system has more than 20 cardiovascular surgeons and 100-plus cardiologists providing care. U.S. News & World Report ranked UCLA Health No. 16 in cardiology and heart surgery on its best hospitals 2018-19 list, and during fiscal year 2016, UCLA Health received more than $59 million in heart-related research funding. UCLA Health is also using telemedicine to remotely monitor patients after cardiac surgery and is expanding offerings in the treatment of structural heart disease, including for the mitral and tricuspid valves.
UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco). UCSF Medical Center is ranked 30th in cardiology and heart surgery on U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals 2018-19 list. In 2017, the hospital snagged $56.17 million in heart/cardiovascular-focused research funding: $20 million for cardiology, $1.9 million for cardiothoracic surgery, $4.27 million for vascular surgery and $30 million for its Cardiovascular Research Institute. Its physicians completed 22,487 outpatient and inpatient cases in 2017. The hospital plans to develop its hypertrophic cardiomyopathy program and its structural program, in particular structural adult congenital heart disease interventions.
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (Cleveland). Heart and cardiovascular services at UH Cleveland Medical Center are delivered through the UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute that comprises 11 centers of excellence. Its centers include the Research & Innovation Center, which has 70 faculty members, fellows and staff with federally funded cardiovascular care research exceeding $30 million. The research and innovation team is managing 85 trials and follows more than 2,500 patients. U.S. News & World Report named the medical center No. 26 in cardiology and heart surgery on its best hospitals 2018-19 list.
UF Health Shands Hospital (Gainesville, Fla.). UF Health includes six adult heart/cardiac surgeons and two pediatric heart/cardiac surgeons. The health system's heart and cardiovascular program snagged $1.9 million in research funding in fiscal year 2017, which extended from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017. The health system includes the UF Health Heart & Vascular Hospital, which opened in December 2017 and features three cardiac operating rooms, two vascular ORs and three hybrid ORs. It also has 72 private intensive care unit rooms, 48 medical/surgical private inpatient rooms, two cardiac catheterization labs and 16 post-anesthesia care unit beds.
University of California Davis Medical Center (Sacramento). University of California Davis Medical Center offers the region's only magnetic-guided catheter system and is one of the few hospitals in the country offering robotic-assisted bypass with angioplasty. It features a hybrid surgical suite where both endovascular and vascular surgeries can be performed. UC Davis' Cardiovascular Clinical Research Unit is conducting nine clinical trials. UC Davis Medical Center is No. 34 in cardiology and heart surgery on U.S. News & World Report's 2018-19 best hospitals list.
University of Chicago Medicine. University of Chicago Medicine's heart and cardiovascular program's case volume totaled 57,334 in 2017, which includes inpatient, outpatient and observation cases. The hospital has 38 full-time clinical employees for cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, including 15 adult and pediatric surgeons. It is the only clinical site for the first implantable intra-aortic balloon pump, and several cardiac ablation trials for arrhythmias are underway at the center.
University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The University of Cincinnati Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute reached a milestone in March: Surgeons there reported having performed 17 heart transplants since the relaunch of the adult heart transplant program in 2015, earning CMS certification for outstanding patient outcomes for the institute. It also earned the 2018 Mission: Lifeline Receiving Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association for providing outstanding care to heart attack patients. The University of Cincinnati has an established track record in cardiovascular care, having previously received recognition among the region's largest heart failure treatment centers for implanting a ventricular assist device some 25 years ago. The Advanced Heart Failure Treatment Center treats about 3,000 heart failure patients annually and earned the Advanced Disease-Specific Care Certification for VAD from The Joint Commission.
UCHealth Heart and Vascular Center (Aurora). The UCHealth Heart and Vascular Center is on the health system's Anschutz medical campus in Aurora. Its adult heart disease clinic specialists follow more than 1,000 patients and partners with the Children's Hospital of Colorado to provide pediatric heart patients a smooth transition into adulthood. The center also includes the UCHealth Heart Failure Clinic, which is a large regional referral program that received accreditation from The Joint Commission for advanced heart failure and cardiomyopathy treatment. U.S. News & World Report ranked the hospital among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19, and it earned the American Heart Association's 2018 Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Plus recognition.
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (Iowa City). In October, the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics UI Heart and Vascular Center specialists performed the first minimally invasive tricuspid valve repair involving a catheter in Iowa. The academic medical center is on the forefront of heart care treatment, with 60 experienced cardiologists, cardiothoracic and cardiovascular surgeons. The health system has 12 outpatient clinics in Eastern Iowa and has a policy to see new heart patients within 48 hours of the requested appointment. UI Health Care adult heart transplant survivorship is 92.3 percent after one year and 96.88 percent after three years, compared to the national average of 85.22 percent. U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics No. 39 in the nation for pulmonology in 2018-19.
University of Kansas Hospital (Kansas City). The University of Kansas Health Center was the first organization in the U.S. to receive The Joint Commission's Comprehensive Cardiac Center certification. The health system has nine cardiology clinics in Kansas City, and patients consistently rank the cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery programs in the 99th percentile for patient satisfaction. U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Kansas Hospital No. 24 in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery in 2018-19. In addition to providing quality clinical care, the University of Kansas Health System participates in heart care studies and clinical trials through the Cardiovascular Research Institute.
University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore). The University of Maryland Heart and Vascular Center aims to stay on the forefront of heart and cardiovascular care, including pioneering techniques to treat and prevent heart failure. The health system has a heart and lung transplant program, launched in the 1980s, using an eight-physician team to treat patients in need of a new heart. The center's specialists are also focused on research and offers clinical trials for patients focused on cardiac transplantation as well as their therapies. The division of cardiac surgery joined the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network, a national consortium of cardiac surgery centers aiming to develop techniques, technologies and devices for improved cardiac patient outcomes.
University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (Madison). The Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Center at UW Health specialists focus on treating patients with severe heart disease. In 2018, IBM Watson Health named University Hospital among the 50 top cardiovascular hospitals in the nation. U.S. News & World Report also ranked it among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery. In addition to providing patient care, specialists at the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Center focus on clinical trials and research, looking specifically into regenerative medicine, stem cells and biologic therapeutic technology.
University of Virginia Medical Center (Charlottesville, Va.). The Heart & Vascular Care center at the University of Virginia Medical Center has earned a three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons since 2009, placing the hospital among the top 7 percent of organizations in the U.S. to achieve the distinction. The Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization also named the health system among the top 10 percent of vascular quality initiative centers in 2015. Every year, UVA cares for more than 450 heart attack patients and from June 2015-16, the health system reported a 98.8 percent discharge rate among patients with acute myocardial infarction, compared to the 93.1 percent national average.
UPMC (Pittsburgh). The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute has locations in most of the health system's hospitals and its cardiologists offer consultations throughout western Pennsylvania. The health system's division of cardiology includes more than 200 physicians and scientists treating every type of heart and vascular disease as well as conducting clinical trials. UPMC has a thriving division of cardiac surgery and heart transplants as well, reporting 1,400 heart transplants since its launch. In 2018-19, U.S. News & World Report ranked UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside in Pittsburgh among the top 50 hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery in the nation.
UT Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas). UT Southwestern Medical Center's Heart and Vascular Center provides comprehensive cardiology and cardiovascular services to patients in Dallas and the surrounding communities. The hospital runs a high volume program that performs more than 600 open heart procedures and 500-plus thoracic procedures each year. The center's clinicians and specialists also focus on research and have received funding from the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association and American Lung Association to support the program.
UW Medicine (Seattle). The specialists at UW Medicine Regional Heart Center are focused on providing care for heart diseases and conditions. The center includes more than 90 full-time faculty members at three hospitals in the health system. In 2015, UW received $10 million from the Washington Research Foundation to conduct clinical trials using stem cell treatment to repair damaged hearts. UW Medicine also supports innovation in heart care: Washington's first dissolving stent was implanted at UW Medical Center in 2016.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, Tenn.). Vanderbilt Heart is considered a high volume heart transplant center, with 97 adult and pediatric transplants performed there in 2017. Overall, the health system's specialists have performed more than 1,000 heart transplants as well as several ventricle assist device implantations. In 2018-19, U.S. News & World Report ranked Vanderbilt University Medical Center among the top 20 hospitals nationwide for cardiology and heart surgery. In August, a medical center team became the first in the country to implant a left ventricular assist device heart pump, which was FDA-approved in July. The center's clinicians and scientists also focus on research with the cardiac surgery laboratory for basic science and provide access to clinical trials.
VCU Medical Center (Richmond, Va.). The VCU Health Pauley Heart Center has more than 30 years of experience in treating thousands of heart patients annually. The American Heart Association honored the center with the 2017 Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving and Bronze NSTEMI awards to recognize the care provided to patients. The specialists and researchers at VCU are also focused on innovation and clinical trials. The heart center is currently in a clinical trial that uses stem cells to reduce the need for medication in patients with ischemic heart failure after heart attacks.
Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Hospital. The Yale New Haven Hospital Heart and Vascular Center takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating heart disease patients. The hospital's interventional cardiologists perform more than 10,000 procedures a year, and its door-to-balloon time is 61 minutes, exceeding the recommended standard of the American Heart Association. In February, the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association recognized Yale New Haven Hospital as a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy center of excellence for its dedication to treating patients with this disorder. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons also gave the Heart and Vascular Center its highest rating of three stars in four procedure categories focused on heart surgery and intervention.