Citing "inaccurate media reports," West Palm Beach, Fla.-based St. Mary's Medical Center has permanently closed its pediatric cardiothoracic surgery program.
A report from CNN from earlier this summer highlighted data from the Society of Thoracic surgeons about 60 hospitals that failed to report pediatric heart surgery mortality rates. The CNN report specifically called out St. Mary's Medical Center for its lack of transparency on pediatric heart surgery rates, claiming that the hospital's morality rate for the procedure was about three times the national average.
Following the report, the hospital suspended elective pediatric heart surgeries in June and launched a review of the program. However, it maintained that CNN used flawed data in its report.
Now, the hospital has permanently ended the program, saying in a statement that "inaccurate media reports on our program have made it significantly more challenging to build sustainable volume in our program." The statement also notes that "this is the decision of the hospital as is not based on a decision or recommendation by the State of Florida or any regulatory agency."