Danbury Hospital Heart Center

 Among Nation’s Best

DANBURY — Danbury Hospital’s Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular Center was recently ranked in the top five percent of US hospitals for quality cardiac care by the HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study. The hospital was is one of only five hospitals in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut region to receive this ranking out of 63 hospitals with an advanced care program.

The study, which looked at 5,000 hospitals across the country, said that Danbury Hospital is in the top 250 for cardiac care. Getting a five-star rating means that patients have a much better chance of surviving after a cardiac procedure in a five-star-rated hospital than in a hospital that only received a one-star rating, according to HealthGrades.

The HealthGrades study, released on October 15, rated the Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular Center five-stars (top rating) in six of the center’s major services — cardiac, coronary bypass and valve replacement surgeries; and treatment of heart attack, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.

Samantha Collier, MD, HealthGrades’ chief medical officer, said that while the overall quality of hospital care in America is improving, the gap between the best-performing hospitals and the worst persists.

“This persistent gap makes it imperative that anyone planning to be admitted to a hospital do their homework and seek out highly-rated facilities,” she said.

“This top five percent ranking reinforces that Danbury Hospital’s program is one of the best in the country, attracting patients from eastern Connecticut, Westchester County, New York City, and even as far away as Canada,” said Andrew Keller, MD, chief of cardiology at Danbury Hospital’s Praxair Regional Heart & Vascular Center.

That is attributed, in large part, according to Dr Keller, to the team of physicians, nurses, technicians, and clinicians that Danbury Hospital has in place in its sections of Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, and Cardiothoracic Surgery, many of whom come from nationally recognized, top hospitals and universities.

 “We continually strive for excellence with patient care and quality top of mind. Over the years, this has produced the best results, not only for the hospital, but most importantly, for our patients,” Dr Keller said. “That is how we received this five-star ranking in just three short years.”

HealthGrades compiled its annual report by analyzing Medicare discharges from 5,000 US hospitals between 2004 and 2006. Hospitals are assigned a one-star (poor), three-star (as expected), or five-star (best) quality rating on more than 28 diagnoses.

 “Danbury Hospital’s long commitment to quality care has been recognized on a national level,” said hospital president and CEO, Frank J. Kelly. “Over the years, we’ve grown from a community hospital to a regional medical center and university teaching hospital associated with New York Medical College, and some of the best Ivy League programs on the East Coast.”