Sequoia Hospital's Heart And Vascular Institute In Top 5% Of U.S. Hospitals For Cardiac Surgery

Comprehensive program of cardiac care has extensive history of excellent ratings

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Heart and Vascular Institute at Sequoia Hospital has again been ranked in the top 5 percent of hospitals in the country for quality of patient outcomes in cardiac surgery. This is the fourth consecutive year the Hospital has earned this distinction from Healthgrades, the leading independent provider of information to help consumers make informed decisions about physicians and hospitals.

"I believe Sequoia's greatest strength comes from the team of wonderfully talented people who partner with physicians to produce 'best results' that are nationally and internationally recognized in cardiac surgery. This level of achievement comes from tremendous experience by all members of our program," said Luis Castro, M.D., Medical Director of Heart Surgery, Sequoia Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute.

Sequoia's cardiac program, which has served the mid-Peninsula community for more than 50 years, also received the following Healthgrades recognitions:

• Ranked Among the Top 5 percent in California for Cardiac Surgery for 4 Years in a Row (2010-2013)
• Recipient of the Healthgrades Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award™ for 4 Years in a Row (2010-2013)
• Recipient of the Healthgrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award™ for 9 Years in a Row (2005-2013)
• Ranked Among the Top 10 percent in the Nation for Overall Cardiac Services for 11 Years in a Row (2003-2013)
• Five-Star Recipient for Cardiac Surgery for 4 Years in a Row (2010-2013)
• Five-Star Recipient for Valve Surgery for 11 Years in a Row (2003-2013)
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure for 8 Years in a Row (2006-2013)

Sequoia Hospital's high rankings are part of the wide-ranging American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, which evaluates the performance of approximately 4,500 acute care hospitals nationwide related to nearly 30 of the most common conditions and procedures.

"The Heart and Vascular Institute has long been dedicated to providing high quality cardiac care to communities on the Peninsula and beyond, and we are very proud that they continue to be recognized nationally for excellent patient outcomes," said Glenna Vaskelis, Sequoia Hospital president. "I would like to thank our highly qualified physicians and hospital staff for their hard work and ongoing commitment to quality, which make these achievements possible."

For its 2013 analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 40 million Medicare hospitalization records for services performed from 2009 through 2011. Measurement is based on data hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being measured, and no hospital pays to be measured. Mortality and complication rates are risk adjusted, which takes into account each hospital's unique population in terms of demographics and severity of illness.

According to the Healthgrades study, the risk of death is 58 percent lower at hospitals receiving 5 stars versus all other hospitals. The 2013 performance outcomes are now available free to the public at www.healthgrades.com.

About Sequoia Hospital
Sequoia Hospital, a Dignity Health Member, is an accredited, not-for-profit community hospital providing innovative and exceptional health care for generations of Bay Area residents. The hospital is rebuilding a state-of-the-art medical campus, including modernized emergency services and a new pavilion with three floors of larger, private patient rooms, scheduled to open next summer.

Recognized for superior and sustained clinical quality, the hospital is a nationally known pioneer in advanced cardiac care. The Heart and Vascular Institute is designated as a 2012 Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California. Sequoia was also voted "A Family Favorite 2012 Best Birth Center and Best Hospital" by readers of Bay Area Parent magazine.

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SOURCE Sequoia Hospital