Vanderbilt University Medical Center was recognized as the No. 1 hospital in Tennessee for Medical Excellence in Major Cardiac Surgery by CareChex 2017 Hospital Quality Ratings Analysis.
Major Cardiac Surgery includes procedures like coronary bypass, cardiac valve procedures, aneurysms, heart transplant and ventricular assist devices.
And although cardiac surgery received the recognition, Michael Petracek, M.D., Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Surgery and chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery, said Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute (VHVI) as a whole played a key role in the recent acknowledgement.
“The fact that cardiac surgery has been recognized is a result of the collaboration of the entire team at VHVI,” Petracek said. “Our surgeries are done well because of the support of all the other specialties involved. Our entire team at VHVI is well trained to care for this population of patients.”
The Department of Cardiac Surgery provides comprehensive surgical services for adults and children with cardiovascular disease. The program is a nationally recognized pioneer in minimally invasive cardiac surgery and transplantation. VHVI combines the services of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology, and Cardiac Anesthesiology to enhance overall patient care.
The rankings by CareChex are based on a comprehensive evaluation of clinical, financial and patient satisfaction findings using a nationally representative database of nearly 40 million discharges from nearly 5,000 hospitals in the United States. Hospitals do not apply or pay to be included in CareChex ratings.
“What this No. 1 status in the state tells me is that what we are doing is working — our collaborative efforts are really paying off for us and our patients,” Petracek said. “This ranking branches from a commitment that Vanderbilt made about 10 years ago to elevate our cardiology care to the best in the country.
“Being recognized as the top hospital in the state is a true testament to our dedication to providing the absolute best care to every single patient.”
