Newswise — Hackensack Meridian Health academic medical centers Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Hackensack University Medical Center, which are licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health for open heart surgery, have earned distinguished three-star ratings from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for their patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgeries.
The three-star ratings, which denote the highest category of quality, places them among the elite for heart bypass surgery and AVR surgery in the United States and Canada. 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 U.S. and Canada. The star rating is calculated using a combination of quality measures for specific procedures performed by an STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participant.
Approximately 20 percent of participants receive the three-star rating for isolated CABG surgery. The latest analysis of data for CABG surgery covers a 3-year period, from January 2018 to June 2021, and includes nine participating surgeons, collectively, at the medical centers. Historically, approximately 4 to 8 percent of participants receive the three-star rating for isolated AVR surgery. The latest analysis of data for AVR surgery covers a 3-year period, from January 2018 to June 2021, and also includes the nine participating surgeons.
“A three star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is among the most prestigious accolades for hospitals with open heart surgery licensure,” said Elizabeth A. Maiorana, MBA, MSN, R.N., CCCC, vice president, Cardiovascular Care Transformation Services, Hackensack Meridian Health. “This is a wonderful confirmation of the exceptional surgical cardiac care provided for patients at Hackensack University and Jersey Shore University Medical Centers.”
Jersey Shore University Medical Center also earned three-star ratings from the STS in aortic valve replacement (AVR) combined with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) as well as isolated mitral valve replacement and repair (MVRR) surgery. This places the academic medical center among the elite in the U.S. and Canada in these procedures.
Historically, approximately 4 to 7 percent of participants receive the three-star rating for AVR+CABG surgery. The latest analysis of data for AVR+CABG surgery and MVRR surgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center covers a 3-year period, from January 2018 to June 2021, and includes four participating surgeons.
“The Society of Thoracic Surgeons congratulates STS National Database participants who have received three-star ratings,” said David M. Shahian, MD, chair of the Task Force on Quality Measurement. “Participation in the Database and public reporting demonstrates a commitment to quality improvement in health care delivery and helps provide patients and their families with meaningful information to help them make informed decisions about health care.”
The STS National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety among cardiothoracic surgeons. The Database includes four components: the Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD), the Congenital Heart Surgery Database (CHSD), the General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD), and the mechanical circulatory support database (Intermacs). The STS ACSD houses approximately 6.9 million surgical records and gathers information from more than 3,800 participating physicians, including surgeons and anesthesiologists from more than 90 percent of groups that perform heart surgery in the US. STS public reporting online enables STS ACSD participants to voluntarily report to each other and the public their heart surgery scores and star ratings.
For more information, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/services/cardiovascular/. To schedule a CT Calcium Scoring scan, which provides early detection of heart attack risk, or for a free physician referral, call 844-HMH-WELL.
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About STS
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (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 Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.
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