Providence Heart and Vascular Institute receives top STS rating for 19 consecutive ranking

The prestigious rating shows Providence is among the top 15 percent nationally among hospitals performing coronary bypass surgery

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has awarded its highest overall rating of three stars to Providence Hospitals for the 19th time in a row. This continues Providence’s streak of receiving this rating for every six-month reporting period since STS started giving this recognition, starting with 2006 data.

left to right: Edward M. Leppard, MD; John Sutton, III, MD; William M. Yarbrough, MD, and Robert P. Zurcher, MD 

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons developed the comprehensive rating system to evaluate the quality of Coronary Artery Bypass surgery among hospitals across the country, using results from its database which represents 92% of heart surgeries in the United States and more than a thousand hospitals. STS grades hospitals on patient outcomes and on use of recommended procedures and medications. The cases analyzed for this rating involve adult patients (18 or older) who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting.

Here’s what the three ratings assigned by STS mean:

• One star denotes participant performance that is significantly lower than the STS mean.
• Two stars denote performance that is not statistically different from the mean.
• Three stars recognize performance that is significantly higher than the STS mean, and represents the highest category of quality.

Only 12-15% of participating hospitals received the three-star overall rating.

“To continuously receive the highest possible score from such an esteemed and accredited evaluation is a true testament to the quality and skill of the Providence Health’s Heart and Vascular Institute,” said Robert Zurcher, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Providence. “We can tell you how good our cardiac care is with words and testimony, but it’s the qualitative data of our outcomes that prove our leadership in the field.”
About Providence Health

A part of LifePoint Health, Providence Health is the leading provider of cardiovascular and orthopedic services in the Midlands. Providence is composed of two hospitals, fourteen physician practices, a network of rehabilitation centers, two sleep centers, an imaging and diagnostics lab, a school of cardiac diagnostics and an accredited chest pain center. In total, Providence employs more than 1,800 dedicated staff. Founded in 1938 by the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, Providence is known statewide for outstanding clinical quality and compassionate care. The Providence open heart surgery program has consistently ranked in the top 15 percent of open heart programs in the nation. Both orthopedics and cardiac services have received the South Carolina BlueCross BlueShield Blue Distinction Center designation. For more information, visit YourProvidenceHealth.com.