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Baystate Cardiac Surgery Program recognized with prestigious 3-star ranking for excellence

February 17, 2020
4 surgeons in an operating room preforming surgery

Baystate Health’s Cardiac Surgery Program has received national recognition by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for achieving a remarkable level of clinical excellence on behalf of its patients.

Coveted 3-STAR Ranking

Baystate has received the much coveted 3-star ranking from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons – the highest possible ranking bestowed by the organization – placing its award-winning Cardiac Surgery Program among the top 10% in the categories of coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery, aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery, and mitral valve repair (MVRR) surgery. The new rankings place Baystate in the top 1-2% of over 1,000 cardiac surgical programs in the United States.

“Achieving such a distinction in one cardiac surgical procedure is certainly a significant accomplishment, but achieving this degree of excellence in three separate procedures is truly remarkable. These results are a testimony to the skill, dedication and compassion of our entire Baystate cardiovascular team. Their expertise continues to build on the long tradition of innovation, clinical excellence and compassionate patient-centered care that have been the hallmark of our program for over 40 years,” said Dr. Thomas A. Schwann, associate director of  the Heart & Vascular Program, and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery for Baystate Health.

Care Close To Home

Dr. Schwann further noted these results should reassure patients that they do not need to travel outside of the community for state-of-the-art cardiovascular care.

Baystate Medical Center is home to the only cardiac surgery program in western Massachusetts providing high value cardiovascular services. The Davis Heart and Vascular Center offers a full spectrum of state-of-the-art adult cardiac surgical services to the community, including  coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), thoracic aneurysm surgery, ablations for cardiac arrhythmias, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), heart valve surgery, mechanical circulatory support in the form of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and left ventricular assist devices (LVAD).

Recently, the Heart and Vascular Center has implemented the innovative Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) process to coordinate and standardize comprehensive, multidisciplinary, collaborative pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care designed to further improve patient safety and the patient experience. The Heart and Vascular Center is supported by a Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program that is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR).

About the Society for Thoracic Surgeons

Founded in 1964, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons is an international not-for-profit organization representing cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and other health care professionals who are part of the cardiothoracic surgery team. STS members 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. STS has more than 7,300 members in 97 countries.