Health First Heart & Vascular Program Earns Third Straight 3-Star Rating for Coronary Bypass Procedure

FEBRUARY IS HEART HEALTH MONTH

STS accreditation is “one of the most well-respected national grading systems for heart surgery available today,” according to cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Tamim Antaki

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Health First’s Heart & Vascular Program has earned its third straight 3-star overall isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) recognition from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).

The prestigious honor recognizes Health First’s patient care and outcomes relative to isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures.

The 3-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places Health First’s Heart & Vascular Program among the elite for heart bypass surgery in the United States and Canada.

The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs across the United States and Canada.

The star rating is calculated using a combination of quality measures for specific procedures performed by an STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participant.

“Our patients and their families place tremendous trust in the expertise, experience, and care of their surgical team. When cardiac surgery is recommended, we want them to feel reassured and confident that they are receiving top-tier care,” said Matthew Campbell, MD, chief cardiothoracic surgeon.

“Coronary artery bypass grafting is an intricate and demanding procedure, and this recognition underscores the exceptional standards of excellence our team consistently achieves.”

“Balancing everything from survival outcomes to pre-surgical risks, this accreditation is perhaps one of the most difficult to earn – and maintain – and it is one of the most well-respected national grading systems for heart surgery available today,” said Tamim Antaki, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon.

“With three active, full-time heart surgeons – supported and strengthened by an incredibly talented and caring cardiothoracic surgical team – our patients and their loved ones across Brevard County can take tremendous comfort in knowing the very best in heart care is available right here at Health First,” Antaki continued.

“This recognition is a significant honor for the entire Heart & Vascular team at Health First, showcasing our unwavering dedication to quality and exceptional patient outcomes,” said Seiichi Noda, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon.

“Earning this 3-star rating is a powerful reflection of the expertise, compassionate care, and outstanding service that define our team and the Heart & Vascular program at Health First.”

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), also called heart bypass surgery, is a surgical procedure to improve blood flow to the heart muscle.

It may be needed when the arteries supplying blood to the heart, called coronary arteries, are narrowed or blocked.

“Receiving the highest accolades for this complex, life-saving procedure is not just an achievement; it’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence. Moreover, earning a third consecutive 3-star rating is a groundbreaking achievement that sets a new standard for Health First and our community,” said Dr. Drew Fink, MD, FACP, President for Community Health Services.

“By achieving the highest standards of care based on national benchmarks, we send a compelling message to the Brevard County community: Health First is dedicated to providing exceptional quality of care. I wholeheartedly thank and congratulate every Heart and Vascular team member for turning this vision into reality.”

Surgeons may recommend the surgery to either lower your risk of a heart attack if one is suffering from coronary heart disease or, in emergency situations – to treat a severe heart attack.

CABG uses healthy blood vessels from another part of the body and connects them to blood vessels above and below the blocked artery. This creates a new route for blood to flow that bypasses the narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. The blood vessels are usually arteries from the arm or chest or veins from the legs.

Approximately 20 percent of participants receive a three-star rating for isolated CABG surgery. The latest analysis of data for CABG surgery covers a 3-year period.

The STS National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety among cardiothoracic surgeons. The Database includes four components: the Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD), the Congenital Heart Surgery Database (CHSD), the General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD), and the mechanical circulatory support database (Intermacs).

The STS ACSD houses approximately 6.9 million surgical records and gathers information from more than 3,800 participating physicians, including surgeons and anesthesiologists from more than 90% of groups that perform heart surgery in the US.

STS public reporting online enables STS ACSD participants to voluntarily report to each other and the public their heart surgery scores and star ratings.

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