List of Top 50 Heart Hospitals Includes SMH
Sarasota Memorial recently was named among the nation’s 50 top-performing heart hospitals.
SMH-Sarasota is the only hospital in southwest Florida recognized on the latest “50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals” list released by Fortune/IBM Watson Health. The annual study identifies the highest performing hospitals in the U.S. that treat a broad spectrum of cardiology patients, and specifically deliver excellent care to patients treated for heart attacks, heart failure and those undergoing heart bypass surgery and cardiac catheterization procedures.
“Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the hospitals recognized on the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list are providing quality care in one of the most critical areas,” said Ekta Punwani of IBM Watson Health. “Hospitals are constantly working to improve clinical and operational performance, and the exceptional organizations on this list demonstrate the standard for top-performing cardiac care. Their benchmarks serve as a real-world checkpoint for cardiovascular care across the U.S.”
If all U.S. hospitals’ cardiovascular programs performed at the level of SMH and the study’s other top performers, some 6,400 additional lives and roughly $1.4 billion could be saved, and 5,000 additional bypass and angioplasty patients could be complication-free, researchers found.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our entire team,” said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD. “From our physicians and nurses to the many therapists, technologists and staff who collaborate and support patient care, their diligence and dedication saves lives every day.”
The study is far more than a list of high-performing organizations, its authors noted. It is a benchmarking study that other hospitals can use to improve clinical outcomes.
“Since our cardiovascular winners have achieved an outstanding balance of clinical and operational excellence in a complex and changing landscape, we believe their success can help provide a clear and bright path for others to follow,” the study noted. “Repeatedly, we see that these hospitals lead the cardiovascular healthcare industry, often inspiring the clinicians and staff within their own walls and systems as well as their peers and competitors, to better understand data and benchmarks, and close performance gaps.”
Compared to similar cardiovascular hospitals that did not make this year’s list, the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals demonstrated:
- Significantly higher inpatient survival
- Fewer patients with complications
- Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients
- Lower readmission rates for AMI, HF and CABG patients
- Shorter lengths of stay and lower total costs per patient case
- Better patient experience scores
This award is the latest in a series of heart-related honors for Sarasota Memorial. Other recognition includes:
- “High performer” ratings in all 15 procedures and conditions — including cardiac bypass surgery, aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), heart attack and heart failure — evaluated in U.S. News’ 2021-2022 “Best Hospitals” study.
- Top honors for medical outcomes and excellence in the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA) annual “Get With The Guidelines” assessments: “Heart Failure Gold Plus Honor Roll,” “Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Elite” and “Gold Plus Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.”
- The American Heart Association and the Mitral Foundation’s 2021 Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award for a demonstrated record of superior clinical outcomes.
- First hospital in Southwest Florida to earn Transcatheter Valve (TAVR) Certification from the American College of Cardiology, in recognition of our heart team’s expertise in TAVR. SMH is one of 25 hospitals nationwide to receive this certification.
- Echocardiogram Accreditation for Adult, Pediatrics and Transesophageal procedures through the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).