Lexington Medical Heart and Vascular Center has once again received three-star ratings for heart surgery — read: the highest measure of quality awarded by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Here's why this is heart-ly something to gloss over: Fewer than 10% of hospitals in the country earn this elite distinction, and Lexington Medical Center is the only South Carolina hospital included among them. Historically, only 4-7% of database participants (more on this in a minute) in the US and Canada achieve this prestigious designation, which recognizes quality patient and clinical outcome excellence.

About that database: The STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database is the world’s premier clinical registry for cardiac surgery. It currently houses ~8 million surgical records, has 3,600+ participating physicians, and represents more than 95% of the groups that perform cardiac surgery in the US.

With this elite rating, LMC has been recognized for its patient care and outcomes in three types of heart surgery: aortic valve replacement, coronary artery bypass grafting, and mitral valve replacement and repair.

“The mission of Lexington Medical Center has always been to provide high-quality health care that meets the needs of our communities, and our cardiovascular care continues to be recognized at the highest levels,” says Jeffrey A. Travis, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Lexington Medical Heart and Vascular Center. “This accomplishment underscores a large team that works tirelessly to care for our patients.”

Lisa Pittman, RN, MSN, outcomes coordinator in the Center for Quality Outcomes for Lexington Medical Heart and Vascular Center, also attributes the department's recent distinction to the hard work, dedication, and collaboration among the entire heart team at Lexington Medical Center. “It exemplifies our commitment to providing the highest quality care to our communities.”

LMC began its complete cardiac care program in 2012 with expectations to perform ~100 open heart surgeries each year — but the program has far exceeded expectations. To date, LMC has performed more than 4,650 open heart surgeries (an average of ~400 surgeries each year).

Learn more about Lexington Medical Heart and Vascular Center.*