NYU Langone recognized as leading cardiovascular hospital in the U.S.

NYU Langone Medical Center has been recognized as a leading cardiovascular hospital in the United States. The medical center received the Thomson Reuters Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals 2012 Award for its high-quality cardiovascular care and excellent performance in key clinical measures. The medical center is the only hospital in New York State to be honored with this year's award.

"Data shows NYU Langone's Cardiac & Vascular Institute ranks among the best hospitals in the nation and New York State for its excellence in cardiovascular patient care and outcomes," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone. "This award recognizes our cardiovascular services team's steadfast commitment and leadership on the national and local level, providing the highest-quality cardiac care possible to each and every heart patient."

Thomson Reuters researchers analyzed key measures and patient outcomes in 2010 data for more than 1,000 hospitals in the United States who treat cardiology patients for the most common cardiac conditions including heart attack and heart failure and those undergoing the most common surgical treatments including percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries. Using public Medicare data, hospitals were evaluated on key clinical outcome, process, extended and efficiency measures.

Study results show NYU Langone as a cardiovascular healthcare industry leader with high-performance in key measures of cardiovascular care and outcomes when compared to other hospitals across the country. The medical center excelled with significantly lower risk-adjusted mortality, 30-day mortality and 30-day readmission rates for heart attack patients. For heart failure patients, NYU Langone had lower risk-adjusted mortality rate, risk-adjusted complications, 30-day mortality and 30-day readmission rates. Also, for PCI procedure patients, it had reduced risk-adjusted mortality, severity-adjusted average length of stay, risk-adjusted complications and lower wage-and severity-adjusted cost per case. For CABG procedure patients, the hospital had a low risk-adjusted mortality rate.

In addition, NYU Langone scored high on all national benchmark measures for heart attack and heart failure patients. The study shows the medical center ensured heart attack patients received proper medications and rapid interventional surgical treatments. It also scored high in all heart failure measures by administering proper medication, discharge instructions and proper evaluation of left ventricular systolic function. Additionally, heart attack and heart failure patients received smoking cessation counseling.

"NYU Langone offers exemplary care and delivery of cardiovascular services to its heart attack, heart failure and cardiac surgery patients," said Glenn I. Fishman, MD, director, Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology at NYU Langone. "This study analysis shows our Cardiac & Vascular Institute is a strong leader in cardiac medicine, setting the bar higher with new performance standards for the rest of the cardiovascular healthcare industry."

Interestingly, Thomson Reuters study analysis shows that if all cardiovascular providers in the United States performed at the level of NYU Langone and this year's other top hospital winners: nearly 7,700 additional lives and more than $1 billion could be saved and approximately 6,500 additional patients could be complication-free. Also, the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals like NYU Langone have significantly better 30-day survival, maintain lower 30-day readmission rates for heart attack and heart failure patients and return patients to daily life half a day to a day earlier, on average.

"Metrics are an important tracking tool for quality improvements in patient care and outcomes," said Aubrey C. Galloway, MD, chairman, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Langone. "At NYU Langone we have established our own internal metrics, in addition to national benchmarks, to achieve our goals of offering the highest quality of patient care and best outcomes. This study data and award reflects our dedication and hard work to continuously implement quality improvements and the positive impact they have on the delivery of care to our cardiac patients."