A New York State Department of Health report released this week once again re-affirmed something that a good many Brooklynites already know – that the Maimonides Medical Center is among the most distinguished hospitals in the nation when it comes to cardiovascular care.
According to the study, Maimonides ranks #1 for patient outcomes across all cases in PCI (angioplasty and heart stents) for the three-year period reported. The process of reporting, sorting and risk-adjusting this information takes several years, so the newest report reflects cases performed in 2013. And, in order to give consumers a better idea of the true level of expertise of any one hospital, the state presents the data for both a single year and a three-year period (2011-2013).
PCIs are better known to the public as angioplasties and other cardiac procedures performed in a minimally-invasive way: a slim catheter is placed within a large blood vessel in the groin or wrist and threaded to the heart. Once there, cardiologists look for blockages or other problems and make repairs, as needed. This might include removing plaque build-up on the walls of arteries, delivering medication to those areas, and/or inserting stents into the arteries to keep blood flowing freely.
The Adult Cardiac Surgery Report includes information about patient outcomes for heart bypass surgeries (also known as open-heart surgeries) and/or heart valve surgeries. Maimonides surgeons performed well in all categories.
This included Maimonides’ own Dr. Israel Jacobowitz, who was one of only four heart surgeons in the state noted for significantly low mortality rates among their patients.
In addition, the state recently began measuring and reporting readmission rates. This refers to whether or not a patient has complications within 30 days of the original procedure and must return to the hospital for further care. Both Maimonides cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists were noted for having among the lowest readmission rates in the state for 2013.
“We’re delighted, of course, with the report from the state. But the real winners here are the people in our care. It’s a privilege to make a positive difference every day in the lives of our patients,” said Dr. Jacob Shani, Chair of Cardiology,
“We continuously innovate,” added Dr. Greg Ribakove, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. “All of our cardiac experts work together daily to provide the very best options and care for each and every patient.”
The Maimonides Heart & Vascular Center has the collective expertise to offer patients the latest strategies for diagnosing and treating the full spectrum of cardiovascular disorders. Among the many elite programs and procedures are:
- TAVR Procedure – Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement allows cardiac experts to repair or replace a faulty heart valve without major surgery
- LVAD Destination Therapy – The “bridge to transplant” is now a permanent option for Heart Failure patients who don’t qualify for transplant surgery
- Aortic Aneurysm Repair – Virtual Reality Simulation allows vascular surgeons to rehearse each repair in advance, dramatically lowering surgical risks
- A-Fib Convergent Therapy – Atrial Fibrillation, a dangerous heart rhythm disorder that increases the risk of strokes, is eliminated by radio-ablation inside and outside the heart
To learn more about the Maimonides Heart & Vascular Center, call 718-283-6401, or visit www.maimonidesmed.org/heart.
