Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute Earns Highest Rating from Society of Thoracic Surgeons

The Memorial Cardiac & Vascular Institute (MCVI) has earned three-star ratings for patient care and outcomes from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) in both isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The designation, which recognizes the highest category of quality, places Memorial among the elite heart surgery programs in the United States and Canada.

Historically, fewer than 10% of cardiothoracic surgical programs earn three stars from STS, a nonprofit organization that represents more than 7,300 surgeons, researchers, and allied healthcare professionals worldwide. Its highly-regarded rating system uses data from benchmarked outcomes and is calculated by combining numerous measurements of quality for specific procedures performed by cardiothoracic surgery programs in its database.

MCVI has received consistently high ratings in the annual survey for more than 10 years. The current three-star designation in isolated AVR includes outcomes from a three-year period (January 2017-December 2019). The isolated CABG rating is for quality results in 2019 only. “The high-quality outcomes necessary to achieve this rating are a testament to the collaborative efforts of the entire cardiac surgery team,” said Dr. Michael Cortelli, chief of the Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute (MCVI).

MCVI was the first facility in Broward County to offer heart transplantation services for adults and features a multi-disciplinary approach to total heart care that has delivered South Floridians outcomes that compare to the best in the U.S.

“The Society of Thoracic Surgeons congratulates 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 healthcare delivery and helps provide patients and their families with meaningful information to help them make informed decisions about healthcare.”