Texas Heart® Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
Ranked Among Nation’s Top Heart Centers for
18th Consecutive Year
HOUSTON (July 11, 2008)—In its annual survey of “America’s Best Hospitals,” U.S.News & World Report has ranked the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital as one of the top 10 centers for heart and heart surgery in the United States for the 18th consecutive year. St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital was also ranked among the top 50 hospitals in eight other major areas of care.
“For 45 years, the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s has maintained a strong commitment to excellence in research, education and patient care,” said Denton A. Cooley, MD, president and surgeon-in-chief of the Texas Heart Institute, and chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. “To receive this honor consistently is extremely gratifying.”
Ranked at number seven this year, the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's is the only heart center in Houston and the Southwest to be listed among the top ten in its category by the magazine.
“The physicians, scientists and staff have led Texas Heart Institute to a position of global leadership through their efforts to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. Their passion, vision and dedication are encouraged by this continued recognition,” said James T. Willerson, MD, president-elect and medical director of Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s. Dr. Willerson is also president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
Dr. Willerson also noted that, on a 1 to 100 scale, the Texas Heart Institute is within three points of being in the top five heart centers.
The annual rankings, determined through criteria such as surgical volume, ratio of registered nurses to beds, number of medical and surgical discharges and recognition by peers, are designed to assist people in seeking the highest level of skills in diagnosing, treating or managing difficult medical conditions.
For its rankings, U.S. News evaluated 5,453 hospitals. Only 170 of those met the standard of being among the best in one or more specialties. The magazine evaluated hard data, engaged in physician surveys and considered patient outcomes, and then recognized the 50 top scoring hospitals in each category it reviewed.
For more information about the rankings, log on to U.S. News Online, www.usnews.com/besthospitals.
