South Texas Health System Heart Named One of America’s 50 Best for Cardiac Surgery

Monday, November 12, 2018
South Texas Health System Heart Named One of America’s 50 Best for Cardiac Surgery

South Texas Health System Heart (McAllen Heart Hospital) is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery and America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care according to a national study by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. Every year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance at almost 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 32 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions, as well as tracking outcomes in appendectomy and bariatric surgery using all-payer data provided by 15 states and the District of Columbia.

The achievement is part of findings released last month in the Healthgrades 2019 Report to the Nation. The new report demonstrates how clinical performance differs dramatically between hospitals nationally, regionally and at the local level, and the impact that this variation has on health outcomes. Additionally, from 2015-2017, patients treated at hospitals receiving the America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery have, on average, 51.1 percent lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award.

South Texas Health System Heart is the ONLY hospital in Texas named a recipient of BOTH the America’s 100 Best Hospitals award for Cardiac Care and the America’s 50 Best Hospitals award for Cardiac Surgery

“Our hospitals continue to exceed even the highest of expectations, and always with the patient’s care at the forefront,” said Chuck Stark, Regional Vice President for South Texas Health System. "South Texas Health System Heart’s commitment to quality and the contributions of every staff member has made the designation of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care possible."

City of McAllen Mayor Jim Darling relayed his congratulations on the prestigious award and City Commissioner Omar Quintanilla represented the city at a press conference held November 7, 2018.

“Hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery have proven their dedication to quality care and exceptional outcomes,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Healthgrades. “Consumers should consider hospital quality when navigating their care journeys, and this recognition distinguishes South Texas Health System McAllen in the marketplace.”

South Texas Health System Heart was also recognized for the following clinical achievements:

  • Cardiac Care Excellence Award (2017 – 2019)
  • Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award (2017 – 2019)
  • One of Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care three years in a row
  • One of Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery in 2019
  • Named among the top 10 percent in the nation for Overall Cardiac Services three years in a row
  • Five-Star Recipient for Coronary Bypass Surgery three years in a row
  • Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Attack six years in a row
  • Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure in 2019

For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 45 million Medicare inpatient records for almost 4,500 short-term acute care hospitals nationwide to assess hospital performance in 32 common conditions and procedures, and evaluated outcomes in appendectomy and bariatric surgery using all-payer data provided by 15 states and the District of Columbia. Healthgrades recognizes a hospital’s quality achievements for cohort-specific performance, specialty area performance, and overall clinical quality. Individual procedure or condition cohorts are designated as 5-star (statistically significantly better than expected), 3-star (not statistically different from expected) and 1-star (statistically significantly worse than expected) categories. The complete Healthgrades 2019 Report to the Nation and detailed study methodology can be found at healthgrades.com/quality.

Learn more about Cardiac Care at South Texas Health System Heart

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of South Texas Health System. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.