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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons awards Orlando Health a 3 star rating for coronary artery bypass surgery, aortic valve replacement, and aortic valve replacement with coronary artery bypass surgery.

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Orlando Health received its seventh consecutive Overall 3 Star Rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for providing excellent care to patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) as well as a 3 Star rating for aortic valve replacement (AVR) and its fourth consecutive 3 Star rating for aortic valve replacement with coronary artery bypass surgery (AVR+CABG).

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The 3 Star Rating, the highest achievable, is based on STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participant outcomes. The most recent evaluation period is January 2017 through December 2017.

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Historically, approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of participants receive the three-star rating for isolated CABG surgery; approximately 6 percent to 8 percent of participants receive the three-star rating for isolated AVR surgery; and approximately 5 percent to 7 percent of participants receive the three-star rating for AVR+CABG surgery.

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"Achieving and maintaining the highest quality rating for heart surgeries demonstrates our continued dedication to excellent outcomes for our patients," said Jeffrey Bott, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Orlando Health Heart Institute. "Our commitment to quality and transparency are important considerations as patients choose our program. It is an honor to be recognized by peers."

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The Heart Institute's success in cardiac surgery performance is the result of expertise, experience, collaboration, and a voluntary, self-run quality council. The council -- comprised of surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, infection control specialists, risk managers, administrators, doctors and other team members -- works diligently on various quality improvement initiatives and care reviews for each of our processes including pre-surgical preparation, surgical management, avoidance of complications and death and post-surgical medical management.

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The composite measure for isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery consists of four quality domains over a twelve month period:

1. Absence of mortality (Deaths)

2. Absence of major morbidity (Complications)

3. Use of Internal Mammary Artery graft(s) (Arteries located in the chest and commonly used in bypass surgery because they have been shown to have the best long-term results.)

4. Receipt of required perioperative medications (Appropriate perioperative (before, during and after) medication usage.)

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The composite measure for isolated AVR and for AVR+CABG consists of two quality domains: Absence of mortality, and Absence of major morbidity.

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"The Society of Thoracic Surgeons congratulates STS National Database participants who have received three-star ratings," said David M. Shahian, MD, Chair of the STS Council on Quality, Research, and Patient Safety. "Participation in the Database and public reporting demonstrates a commitment to quality improvement in health care delivery and provides patients and their families with meaningful information to help them make informed decisions about health care."

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The STS National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety among cardiothoracic surgeons. The STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database, a component of the STS National Database, -includes more than 6 million surgical records, representing an estimated 90 percent of all adult cardiac surgery centers across the United States.