Heart Surgery Program at Forbes Regional Hospital Recognized as One of Nation’s Best for Second Year in a Row

The heart surgery program at has once again been recognized by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for its overall performance and patient outcomes.

Forbes Regional’s McGinnis Thoracic and Cardiovascular Associates surgical group received three stars, the society’s highest possible rating, in a comprehensive assessment of the nation’s heart surgery programs. Forbes Regional is one of three hospitals in western Pennsylvania lauded by the society for having above average patient outcomes and the only one to receive the three-star rating for two consecutive years.  

The STS heart surgery group rankings are published in the September 2011 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine.

More than 90 percent of the roughly 1,100 surgical groups in the United States that perform cardiac surgery were evaluated for the latest STS report. Based on a variety of quality performance measures and patient outcomes achieved during the period of July 1, 2009 to July 30, 2010, the report assigns each surgical group a star rating. Programs that performed below average received one star, those that performed as expected received two stars and above average programs received three stars.

“We are very proud at Forbes to achieve this distinction for the past two years,” said Michael Culig, Chief, Division of Cardiac Surgery at Forbes Regional Hospital in a news release, “It is the result of the highest performance from all members of our team, with the focus on giving our patients the best possible outcomes. It is no coincidence that our patient satisfaction ratings are always in the top one percent nationally."

The Ed Dardanell Heart and Vascular Center at Forbes Regional promotes a one-stop approach to cardiac surgery. Patients stay in the same room from the beginning of their stay through discharge. Patients, families, and staff have the opportunity to bond throughout the course of treatment, leading to an enhanced patient experience and greater staff and patient satisfaction.

Since the Ed Dardenell Heart and Vascular Center opened in March 2008, 633 open heart surgeries have been performed at Forbes under Culig’s direction.

In addition to heart valve, aneurysm, and coronary artery bypass surgery, the Ed Dardanell Heart and Vascular Center offers a wide variety of comprehensive heart services such as cardiac catheterization and interventional cardiology and invasive peripheral vascular procedures, including interventions.

The center also includes a cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU), accredited chest pain and stroke centers, diagnostic testing (stress testing, echocardiography, EKGs), an electrophysiology (EP) lab, a telemetry unit, and a step-down unit.