Advocate Condell Named One of Nation's Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals

This week Advocate Condell Medical Center was named one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Truven Health Analytics, and was also given a “3-Star” (highest) quality rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

The Truven Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals study evaluates performance in key areas: risk-adjusted mortality, risk-adjusted complications, core measures (a group of measures that assess process of care), percentage of coronary bypass patients with internal mammary artery use, 30-day mortality rates, 30-day readmission rates, severity-adjusted average length of stay, and wage- and severity-adjusted average cost. The study is celebrating its 15th year and has been conducted annually since 1999.

“This is an incredible honor for Advocate Condell Medical Center and a testament to the exceptional clinical health outcomes our care teams provide for every patient,” said Dominica Tallarico, President, Advocate Condell Medical Center. “We are proud to be recognized for the quality care our Heart and Vascular Institute provides to the patients we are privileged to serve.”

In addition to 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital designation, the Advocate Condell Heart and Vascular Institute received a 3-Star (highest) quality rating for cardiovascular services from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. This is the fifth consecutive reporting period Advocate Condell has been rated 3-Stars which puts Condell in the top 14% of reporting cardiovascular programs in the country.

“It’s an honor to receive both of these designations,” said Dr. Robert Kummerer, cardiothoracic surgeon and Medical Director of Cardiovascular Surgery. “These awards speak to the collaboration among all of the members of the Heart and Vascular Institute—primary care physicians, cardiologists, intensivists and many others. It takes an entire team to produce these high quality results.”

The Advocate Condell Heart and Vascular Institute features the most sophisticated diagnostic, imaging and treatment technologies available today, as well as board-certified cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and  interventional radiologists who perform a full range of procedures and surgeries.

For the 50 Top Cardiovascular designation, Truven Health Analytics researchers analyzed 2011 and 2012 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data, 2012 Medicare cost reports, and 2013 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare data.

According to Truven, if all cardiovascular providers in the U.S. performed at the level of this year's winners:

• 8,600 additional lives could be saved

• $1 billion could be saved

• 3,200 additional bypass and angioplasty patients could be complication-free