On Thursday, Sept. 18, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) publicly released its latest report, "Cardiac Surgery in Pennsylvania 2005-2006." Sixty-one hospitals and 189 cardiothoracic surgeons are individually profiled with The Heart Institute at Jefferson Regional Medical Center being considered among the best in Pennsylvania.

"It’s really not a surprise to us," said Dr. Kyung Park in an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We’re one of the new programs ... but we’ve always taken care of very complex cases and gotten very good results."

"The population they’re ending up (operating on) are older, sicker and need more complex surgeries, and still, the fact the mortality rate is dropping, we think is pretty impressive," said PHC4 spokesman Joe Martin about the statewide results.

According to the report, the number of the grafts being done in Pennsylvania declined four percent, from 17,333 statewide in 2005 to 16,633 in 2006. Jefferson Regional’s open-heart program continues to grow, particularly in the highly complex and CABG-valve "combination cases." In these complicated procedures, Jefferson Regional’s performance exceeds expectations.

According to PHC4, the expected in-hospital mortality rate for total valve procedures, given the severity of the patients at Jefferson Regional, was 7.2 percent, yet The Heart Institute performed at 2.6 percent. The expected rate for CABG was 8.9 percent yet The Heart Institute performed at 2.8 percent.

Judy M. Hall, vice president Cardiovascular Services, welcomed public affirmation of The Heart Institute’s continued exceptional performance.

"We have the technology, the surgeons, the clinical staff and proven outcomes," she said.

"As verified by PHC4, we provide the highest level of cardiac care available, providing a choice in the region when it comes to tertiary hospitals."

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Jefferson Regional had lower than expected death rates in four of eight categories. UPMC Passavant had better than expected mortality rates in two categories, while West Penn, Butler Memorial and Medical Center Beaver each had better than expected death rates in one.

"All the other area hospitals that perform heart surgeries had the expected death rates in all eight categories.

"Statewide, Reading Hospital had the lowest readmission rates in six of the eight categories, and Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, Holy Spirit Health System in Camp Hill and Williamsport Hospital and Medical Center had the worst death rates, having higher than expected mortality rates in five of eight surgical categories, according to the report."