Allegheny Health Network's Cardiovascular Institute Achieves Elite National Ratings for Cardiac Surgery Excellence

AHN Allegheny General Hospital Earns Highest 3-Star Rating Across Five Procedures, Placing it Among the Nation's Top Programs

PITTSBURGH, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AHN Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Health Network's flagship quaternary medical facility, has been recognized among the nation's top adult cardiac surgery programs, according to the most recent star rating report from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).

The Pittsburgh hospital has received the highest rating in five out of six evaluated categories for its surgical care outcomes and quality metrics for coronary artery bypass graft surgery, aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement and repair, and multivalve procedures, as well as surgical valve replacement combined with coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

STS has also rated AHN Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, Pa., and AHN Jefferson Hospital in Jefferson Hills, Pa., with 3-star designations in isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery and aortic valve replacement with coronary artery bypass graft surgery, respectively.

Most notably, all three AHN surgical programs received a 3-star designation in the new STS "multiprocedural" category. This comprehensive evaluation assesses morbidity and mortality rates for patients across all analyzed procedures, adjusting for patient risk factors.

"The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care," said Stephen Bailey, MD, Chair of AHN Cardiovascular Institute. "We couldn't be more proud of the incredible showing across all of our cardiac surgery programs – we're thrilled with our consistent performance which places our cardiac surgery program among the most elite nationwide. They are a testament to our clinical teams' unwavering dedication to maintaining exceptional patient outcomes through evidence-based therapies and innovative medicine."

The STS analysis for this reporting period (July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2025) included data from 941 STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participants across the United States and Canada. Notably, less than 5% of participants eligible for inclusion in the star ratings analyses earned a 3-star rating for isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR), AVR with coronary bypass, or mitral valve with coronary bypass.

AHN AGH received three stars across each of these procedures.

The STS star rating is meticulously calculated using a combination of quality measures for specific procedures including complications such as kidney failure, prolonged ventilator support, infection, and stroke as well as 30-day death rate. The ratings also evaluate post-procedural care and medication management upon patient discharge for some procedures.

"These ratings from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons reinforce AHN Cardiovascular Institute's longstanding reputation for clinical excellence and award-winning care," said Walt McGregor, MD, cardiac surgeon and director of the network's cardiac surgery program. "Transparent, third-party evaluations are invaluable as they empower patients to make truly informed decisions when entrusting their cardiac care to our highly skilled physicians."

Earlier this year, AHN Allegheny General Hospital was recognized as one of America's 50 best hospitals for cardiac surgery, and one of the country's top 100 for cardiac care and coronary intervention by Healthgrades Specialty Excellence Care awards.

In 2025, AGH was also designated as a Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center from the Mitral Foundation, making it one of just 25 facilities that have earned this title nationwide for superior clinical outcomes. In the same year, nine AHN hospitals were also recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for the high quality of their heart failure, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease and stroke care programs.

About Allegheny Health Network: 
Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org), is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, multiple employed physician organizations, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 24,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

About STS
Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,800 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied healthcare professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society's mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.

SOURCE Allegheny Health Network