News

Beebe Medical Center's Cardiac Surgery Program Receives Top Rating

06/14/11

The Cardiac Surgery program at Beebe Medical Center has received the highest quality rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. This program is part of a unique partnership with the Center for Heart & Vascular Health at Christiana Care Health System, which also received the top rating.
After analyzing national cardiac surgical data from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, the Society reported that Beebe Medical Center's performance in cardiac surgery was in the highest-quality tier, and gave Beebe Medical Center a 3-Star rating, the highest category of quality. Of the 968 participating hospitals that submitted data for analysis, approximately 13.5 percent received the 3-Star rating, including the program at Christiana Care.
The 2010 rating is the second in a row for Beebe Medical Center, and the third in total since the cardiac surgery program began in 2007.
This ranking places the cardiac surgery program at Beebe Medical Center among the best in the nation, says Paul Minnick, Vice President of Patient Care Services at Beebe Medical Center. This recognition by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, especially for a community hospital of our size, reflects the dedication and commitment to the patient that we experience at Beebe Medical Center.

Mr. Minnick praised the cardiac surgeons at Beebe Medical Center, Fernando Garzia, M.D., Medical Director of the Cardiac Surgery Program, and M.L. Ray Kuretu, MD, for their expertise and professionalism.

Drs. Garzia and Kuretu are truly committed to their patients, he says. They maintain the highest standards of quality and continually focus on the making the best decision for each patient, and always put the safety of the patient first.

Beebe Medical Center's Cardiac Surgery program, has an affiliation with Christiana Care Health System. Drs. Garzia and Kuretu are members of Christiana Care Cardiac Surgery.
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons developed this comprehensive ratings system to allow measurement of cardiac surgery quality performance at hospitals throughout the country. The methodology involves gathering data on 11 separate quality standards for patient care during and following coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The standards are comprehensive and broad-based and cover medical care before surgery, operative care, care following surgery and patient outcomes. Together, these data form a composite score that can be used to determine a hospital's overall cardiothoracic clinical performance.
Specifically, the 3-Star composite score is based on NQF (National Quality Forum) measures. Eleven of 21 measures are incorporated into the composite quality score. The 11 measures are divided into four domains:
" Avoidance of operative mortality
" Avoidance of major morbidity
" High quality intraoperative care as measured by use of IMA (internal mammary artery)
" Appropriate perioperative medication usage
I am proud of our team of surgeons, physicians, physician assistants, surgical staff, nurses, and all of the clinicians and hospital staff that constantly focus on the quality care that we provide our patients and our community, says Lynn Amey, Executive Director of Cardiac and Vascular Services. I also must acknowledge the guidance and support given by the Beebe Medical Center Board of Directors and leadership who decided to bring cardiac surgery to our community and to devote the resources necessary to make it a success.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, founded in 1964, is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 6,200 surgeons, researchers and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible surgical outcomes.

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org