Ellis Hospital recognized for cardiovascular treatment

Friday, November 19, 2010 -1:04 p.m.

Thomson Reuters study places medical facility in top 50 for the nation

Even though the Ellis Hospital's Cardiovascular Department is confident in their work, being recognized as a leader in the specialized care is a welcomed accomplishment.

Thomson Reuters' 12th annual cardiovascular hospital study nationwide resulted in Ellis Hospital being named one of the top 50 hospitals in the nation for the care provided. The study looked at outcomes for patients with heart failure and heart attacks and patients receiving coronary bypass surgery and precautionary coronary interventions such as angioplasties.

Ellis and other hospitals acknowledged for their success in the report, which noted patient survival rates were higher, with shorter hospital stays and included fewer complications and readmissions to the hospital compared to other hospitals in the nation. The study also noted if all similar high-volume cardiovascular hospitals performed at the same level as the noted top hospitals more than 7,500 additional lives could be saved, nearly 12,000 additional patients could be complication free and approximately $910 million could be saved every year.

We know we work very hard, we know we do a good job and the whole team deserves a pat on the back for this, said Herbert Reich, chief cardiothoracic surgeon at Ellis. "It is very nice to see that someone else knows what kind of a jobs we do. This is an award the whole team really shares and is a part of."

Getting heart attack patients from the door of the Emergency Department to the Catheterization Lab where a balloon is inflated in the patient's artery to restore blood flow happens 25 minutes faster on average than the national goal of 90 minutes, said Donna Evans, spokeswoman for Ellis.

"If you get that patient up to the Cath. Lab faster, you are going to improve the patients outcome," said Evans.

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