Note: This list is not an endorsement of included hospitals or associated healthcare providers, and hospitals cannot pay to be included. Hospitals are presented in alphabetical order.
Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis). The Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital delivers care through its Integrated Cardiovascular Care Model, which combines clinical research, scientific innovation and medical services. The institute offers a full range of cardiovascular specialties and strives for excellence in heart disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. It is also one of the few centers in the Midwest to offer heart transplants.
Advocate Christ Medical Center (Oak Lawn, Ill.). The Heart and Vascular Institute at Advocate Christ Medical Center offers innovative treatment and technology to address the full range of cardiovascular diseases. The hospital performs more heart surgeries than any other hospital in northern Illinois and its Congestive Heart Failure Clinic treats more than 1,000 patients annually. Advocate Christ Medical Center was ranked among the top hospitals in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report in 2012.
Allegheny General Hospital (Pittsburgh). The Cardiovascular Institute at Allegheny General Hospital includes the Pulmonary Hypertension Program as a center of excellence. The program uses a community integration system to ensure care continues after diagnosis and treatment. The hospital is home to important cardiology advancements, as well. In 2004, Allegheny General cardiologists were the first in the world to demonstrate that advanced cardiac MRI is better than conventional diagnostic procedures for predicting heart attacks in women.
Aspirus Wausau (Wis.) Hospital. The Aspirus Heart & Vascular Institute at Aspirus Wausau Hospital was the first center in its region to embrace beating heart surgery, a form of bypass surgery that has higher success rates than the traditional technique. Aspirus Wausau surgeons perform about 95 percent of bypass surgeries using this technique, compared with the national rate of 30 percent. Aspirus also developed the Level I Cardiac Care program to treat heart attack patients faster by streamlining diagnosis, transfer and treatment.
Augusta Health (Fishersville, Va.). Augusta Health is accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers, meaning the hospital has integrated best practices into its cardiac care processes. It has a state-of-the-art vascular suite that combines a full operating room with angiography and imaging equipment. Under this design, physicians can perform surgical and radiological vascular procedures simultaneously, which is more convenient for patients. Augusta Health was named to Thomson Reuters’ 100 Top Hospitals in 2012.
Aultman Hospital (Canton, Ohio). The Aultman Heart Center at Aultman Hospital offers a full range of non-invasive and invasive heart procedures. The center performs twice as many heart procedures as the other hospitals in its county combined. Giovanni Ciuffo, MD, the director of the Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery Program at the center, performs minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting procedures, which allow patients to recover and return to normal activity faster than more invasive techniques.
Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center (Milwaukee). Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center recently opened the Cardiac Specialty Centers, where providers research and offer treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, adult congenital heart disease, Marfan and aortic disorders and valvular heart disease. The hospital is also known for its robotic-assisted heart surgery program, which it initiated in 2002 and has attracted physicians from across the country. The hospital is also home to the Karen Yontz Women’s Cardiac Awareness Center, a nationally recognized resource center dedicated to increasing the awareness, diagnosis and prevention of heart disease among women.
Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center (Phoenix). Surgeons at Banner Good Samaritan’s Cavanagh Heart Center were some of the first in the nation to implant the left ventricular assist device to treat heart failure in patients not eligible for heart transplants. The hospital’s surgeons are also the only physicians in Phoenix who perform pulmonary artery endarterectomy to treat clot formation in the pulmonary artery. Heart and vascular researchers at Cavanagh have helped innovate several new technologies, including an implantable device that monitors the heart and alerts patients when a heart attack may be imminent — even with no symptoms.
Baptist St. Anthony’s Hospital (Amarillo, Texas). The cardiology department at Baptist St. Anthony’s Hospital offers full-service heart care. The team of cardiologists and providers uses established techniques and technology to treat a variety of cardiovascular conditions. The hospital also has a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program, which emphasizes exercising to improve cardiovascular fitness and provides education on stress management and heart-healthy lifestyles. repair in 2004. Last year, NorthShore interventional cardiologist Ted Feldman, MD, studied the safety and effectiveness of the MitraClip and his results were later published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Florida Hospital (Orlando). The Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute manages more than 70,000 cardiac-related visits each year. Last year, one surgeon performed the first complete robotic cardiac surgery in central Florida. Researchers at the institute have been instrumental in developing various cardiovascular treatments, such as surgical and peripheral ablation techniques used to treat arrhythmia.
Forsyth Medical Center (Winston-Salem, N.C.). Forsyth Cardiac & Vascular Center has earned a three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for four consecutive years. It was the first hospital in North Carolina to earn the advanced certification in heart failure from The Joint Commission. In 2012, Forsyth Medical Center was one of two hospitals in North Carolina to offer a newly approved subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator, the first heart defibrillator that can be implanted under the skin without touching the heart.
French Hospital Medical Center (San Luis Obispo, Calif.). French Hospital Medical Center’s excellence in cardiac care dates back to 1981, when the hospital built the first cardiac catheterization lab and performed the first cardiac surgery in San Louis Obispo County. Now, French’s Copeland, Forbes & Rossi Cardiac Care Center is the only center on the central coast to have non-radiation imaging technology that allows physicians to take more accurate images of the heart with improved clinical results. The hospital is also the only facility on the central coast to have an MRI system with cardiac imaging capabilities, providing advanced cardiac imaging as well as performing the usual MRI functions.
Gaston Memorial Hospital (Gastonia, N.C.). Gaston Memorial Hospital is the home of CaroMont Heart. The hospital participates in the Reperfusion of Acute Myocardial Infarction in North Carolina Emergency Department project, which aims to increase the rate and speed of coronary reperfusion through systemic changes in emergency care. Through a strategic partnership with Columbia University Medical Center’s HeartSource, CaroMont Heart has access to clinical trials and physician training for innovative cardiovascular procedures.
Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, Pa.). As part of Geisinger Medical Center’s Level 1 heart attack program, 90 percent of heart attack patients are treated within 90 minutes, much higher than the national average of 55 percent of patients. Geisinger Heart Institute’s specialized physicians have a 96-percent success rate in opening blocked arteries. Surgeons at the institute have performed more than 10,000 cardiac operations since Geisinger established the first open-heart surgical unit in northeastern and central Pennsylvania more than 40 years ago.
Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center. The Heart & Vascular Hospital in Hackensack University Medical Center is a hospital within a hospital. In October 2012, HackensackUMC named Joseph Parrillo, MD, a well-respected physician and cardiology researcher, as chairman of the Heart & Vascular Hospital. In February 2012, Hackensack- UMC expanded its heart services to an off-campus location, The Heart Center at Glenpointe in Teaneck, N.J., which offers outpatient services like stress tests and echocardiograms.
Heart Hospital of Austin (Texas). Heart Hospital of Austin is a campus of St. David’s Medical Center. The hospital encourages families to stay with patients around the clock with its 24-hour visitor policy. In September, the hospital became the first facility in Austin to implant a new MRI pacemaker in a patient as part of a clinical trial, which will determine if patients with these devices can safely undergo MRI scans.
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia). The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Heart and Vascular Center and Penn Cardiovascular Institute are integrated to provide cardiovascular care using the latest medical research. Penn Heart and Vascular conducts research in addition to providing the most comprehensive range of cardiology services in the region, while Penn Cardiovascular Institute, which was established in 2005, focuses on translational research. The hospital was named one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals for 2013 by Truven Health Analytics, formerly known as the healthcare business of Thomson Reuters.
Indiana University Hospital (Indianapolis). As part of Indiana University Health, the cardiovascular program at IU Hospital treats more heart and vascular patients than any program in the state. In October 2012, Indiana University Health Cardiovascular co-sponsored the inaugural Sports & Exercise Cardiology Think Tank and Sports Cardiology Summit. At the event, cardiologists, athletic trainers and others came together in Washington, D.C., to discuss how to better protect the hearts of athletes of all ages.
Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, Va.). The Inova Heart and Vascular Institute’s network of heart care specialists is the largest in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Launched in January 2012, the hospital’s vascular program brings cardiologists, interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons together, which leads to a higher standard of care. The institute recently opened a hybrid operating room that allows cardiac surgeons, electrophysiologists and cardiologists to operate on the same patient together.
Intermountain Medical Center (Murray, Utah). The Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center includes 35 cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and heart failure specialists who provide comprehensive heart care. In October 2012, a nurse practitioner from the Intermountain Heart Institute received the Clinical Excellence in Nursing Award from the Heart Failure Society of America, a prestigious national award. The heart institute is also home to researchers, who recently developed a new, evidence-based tool that is proven to identify which heart attack patients are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). The Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Institute moved to its new location in the Sheikh Zayed Tower in April 2012. The world’s first successful “blue baby operation” to correct congenital heart defects was performed at the Heart and Vascular Institute in 1944. Gordon Tomaselli, MD, a cardiologist at The Johns Hopkins, currently serves as the president of the American Heart Association. Johns Hopkins has earned Magnet accreditation for nursing excellence.
Kettering (Ohio) Medical Center. Located just outside Dayton, Ohio, Kettering Medical Center is home to the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Heart Hospital, which opened in 2010. The hospital offers the latest surgical and noninvasive procedures as well as diagnostic testing.
Morton Plant Hospital (Clearwater, Fla.). The Morgan Heart Hospital at Morton Plant Hospital performs more open heart and interventional procedures than any other hospital in its county, and the hospital continues to widen its scope for heart care. In January 2012, Morton Plant Hospital expanded the service line when it opened the Valve Clinic for the treatment of complex heart valve disorders, such as aortic stenosis. Morton Plant Hospital became the first hospital in the Tampa Bay, Fla., area to perform a transcatheter aortic valve replacement by the transapical approach in October 2012.
Mount Sinai Medical Center (New York City). Mount Sinai Heart Hospital was established in 2006 and offers eight areas of heart care, including treatment for arrhythmia and pediatric and congenital heart conditions. The director of the heart hospital, Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, received the American Heart Association’s 2012 Research Achievement Award for his significant contributions to cardiovascular medicine. The cardiac catheterization lab was one of four in New York to receive the state’s highest safety rating for angioplasty in 2012.
Nebraska Heart Institute & Heart Hospital (Lincoln). Nebraska Heart Institute & Heart Hospital was the first heart hospital in the state. Performing roughly 900 open-heart procedures and 1,500 interventions each year, Nebraska Heart Institute physicians perform more diagnostic, interventional and surgical procedures annually than any other cardiac program in Nebraska. The hospital emphasizes continuity of care, and patients stay in one room for their entire visit.
New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell (New York City). NewYork Presbyterian Heart is recognized by Castle Connolly for having the most top-performing heart specialists on its staff compared to other hospitals in the United States. NewYork- Presbyterian/Columbia is also home to the Naomi Berrie Center for Diabetes and Heart Care, a specialized center for diabetes patients with heart conditions. More heart transplants have been performed through NewYork-Presbyterian’s transplant program than any other hospital in the country.
NYU Langone Medical Center (New York City). The Cardiac and Vascular Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center includes eight comprehensive programs that bridge the gap between research and clinical care. The hospital is also home to the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology. In May 2012, NYU Langone’s cardiology department published comprehensive analyses on the efficacy and safety of stents. NYU Langone, which is a Magnet-accredited hospital, was also named to Thomson Reuters’ Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals in 2012 — the only hospital in New York state with the distinction.
North Shore Medical Center FMC Campus (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). The Heart Institute of Florida at North Shore Medical Center FMC Campus was one of the first two hospitals in the state to offer 80-lead electrocardiogram technology, which measures electrical impulses throughout the entire heart, not just the frontal portion as with traditional ECGs. In June 2012, the hospital opened its valve clinic and cardiac hybrid operating suite, which combines imaging capabilities with traditional surgery and can reduce patient recovery time.
Northside Hospital-Forsyth (Cumming, Ga.). Northside Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute’s trained medical professionals specialize in comprehensive cardiovascular services. In 2011, a physician at Northside Hospital-Forsyth implanted Forsyth County’s first MRI-conditioned pacemaker, a device that allows patients to safely undergo MRI screening after implantation. In 2012, the hospital received the United- Health Premium specialty center designation for its quality of care in cardiac services.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago). The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital has six clinical centers for various heart conditions and for women’s heart health. Northwestern researchers study all aspects of heart and vascular care through the Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute. The hospital continues to tailor its care to patients’ specialized needs. In July 2012, the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute launched a multidisciplinary program for patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease, one of the most common congenital heart defects.
Ochsner Medical Center (New Orleans). The John Ochsner Heart & Vascular Institute consists of six sections that provide a continuum of cardiovascular care. Physicians at the institute pioneered the use of coronary angioscopy in the 1980s. The hospital has continued excelling in heart care since, as it has been ranked as one of the top 25 in the nation for heart care and heart surgery since 2010 by U.S. News & World Report.
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus). The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Heart and Vascular Center includes the Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, the Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute and 20 outreach clinics. The Ross Heart Hospital has the only adult heart transplant program in central Ohio. In October 2012, Ohio State scientists received a four-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to study mechanisms associated with an elevated heart rate.
Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) Medical Center. The Heart Institute at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center was the first hospital in Palm Beach County to perform open heart surgery. Since then, physicians have performed about 15,000 open-heart surgeries to date. The institute offers a range of cardiac services, from diagnostics to surgery to rehabilitation. In June 2012, the hospital expanded its cardiac services when it opened its new valve clinic, which focuses on treating aortic valve disease.
Palmetto General Hospital (Hialeah, Fla.). Employees at the Heart Institute at Palmetto General Hospital and the Palmetto Vascular Institute speak numerous languages in order to better serve the hospital’s diverse multicultural community. The Valve Clinic has physicians who are specially trained to perform valve procedures designed to repair or replace the aortic valve. Palmetto General Hospital has received Health- Grades’ Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award.
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital (St. Louis Park, Minn.). Park Nicollet’s Heart and Vascular Center at Methodist Hospital was designed specifically with the patient in mind, as the center involves short walking distances and short waiting times. The design aims to provide patients and family members with the ultimate patient experience, and includes a scenic boardwalk along a local creek and wetlands. The hospital’s nuclear cardiology lab uses non-invasive, state-of-the-art imaging techniques.
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (Wash.). The Heart Center at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett has received more cardiovascular care excellence awards than any other hospital in Washington state. The Heart Center offers five centers of excellence and an emergency response network for cardiac and stroke care. Recently, the hospital introduced a new pacemaker monitoring technology that allows physicians to monitor patients from their offices.
Regional Hospital of Scranton (Pa.). Regional Hospital of Scranton offers a cardiac catheterization lab, a heart rhythm center and cardiac surgery and rehabilitation. It has a history of regional cardiac care “firsts.” In 1971, the hospital performed the region’s first open heart surgery and, in 1972, it opened the region’s first tertiary cardiovascular care center, among other accomplishments. The hospital recently added to its list of regional firsts when a cardiologist implanted a newly-approved stent, the Medtronic Resolute zotarolismus-eluting stent, into a diabetic patient. It was the first time the stent had been used in northeast Pennsylvania.
Robert Packer Hospital (Sayre, Pa.). Robert Packer Hospital’s cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiac surgeons and vascular surgeons work together to provide comprehensive cardiac care. The hospital includes programs and centers tailored to patients’ specific heart care needs. The Chest Pain Center at Robert Packer is accredited by the Society for Chest Pain Centers and has a highly trained staff to evaluate and the nation in January 1968. The achievements at Stanford have continued since. Sharon Hunt, MD, a Stanford cardiologist, received the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation award for lifetime achievement, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of heart-transplantation medicine, in April 2012.
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. The Cardiovascular Center at Tampa General Hospital has six cardiac catheterization laboratories and six interventional radiology suites. Physicians with the hospital’s heart transplant program have performed more than 1,000 transplants in the program’s history, which is the fifth busiest heart transplant program in the country with one of the highest survival rates. In 2012, Tampa General began offering an investigational treatment for people battling treatment-resistant hypertension.
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Philadelphia). The heart-lung bypass machine was invented at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and is just one of the hospital’s claims to fame. Hospital researchers also discovered the pivotal role a protein called GRK2 plays in the heart’s function, a finding that is helping advance the prevention of heart failure. In June 2012, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital added a new, stateof- the-art device that allows surgeons to monitor patients’ complete cardiac function at the bedside.
University Hospitals Case Medical Center (Cleveland). University Hospitals Case Medical Center offers cardiovascular care through University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. The institute boasts 11 centers of excellence, each with its own subspecialty, including electrophysiology and atrial fibrillation. UH Case Medical Center exceeds or matches the national average of heart attack care standards measured by the University HealthSystem Consortium.
University of California, San Diego Medical Center. The UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center became San Diego’s first dedicated heart center when it opened in 2011. The center has four smart operating rooms and four cath labs. In February 2011, surgeons at the center completed a rare cardiac surgery called heterotopic heart transplantation, in which the patient’s heart remains in place while a donor heart is implanted, leaving the patient with two hearts.
University of Chicago Medical Center. University of Chicago Medical Center is home to one of the largest heart transplant and ventricular assist device programs in the Midwest. It was the first hospital in the world to perform a successful heart-kidney-liver transplant. The hospital is also involved in extensive cardiovascular clinical research. The medical center is one of 17 hospitals in the nation to be part of a clinical trial for the HeartWare HVAD left ventricular assist device, which claims to provide patients with up to 10 liters of additional blood flow, giving them a better quality of life.
The University of Kansas Hospital (Kansas City). The Center for Advanced Heart Care at The University of Kansas Hospital, which opened in 2006, added several new and innovative procedures in the past year. In May 2012, the hospital became one of the few to offer the Sapien transcatheter aortic heart valve, which doesn’t require open heart surgery to be implanted in a patient’s chest. In October 2012, the hospital became the first in the country to use GPS technology on a cardiology patient. The technology shows physicians where a catheter is in the body during heart procedures to treat atrial fibrillation and other rhythm abnormalities.
University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore). The University of Maryland Heart Center offers many cardiovascular services, including procedures for high-risk patients. The Heart Center has a cardiac hybrid operating room and offers a unique team approach to care, from both heart surgeons and interventional cardiologists. The hospital’s Pulmonary Hypertension Program is one of the few in the country to offer pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, a complex surgery that can cure chronic pulmonary hypertension.
University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers (Ann Arbor). The University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center treats more than 6,000 patients each year. The center has garnered more than $180 million in research grant funding and participated in more than 700 cardiovascular clinical trials in the past five years. In May 2012, the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center surgeons celebrated after performing the 500th heart device implant at the hospital.
UPMC Hamot (Erie, Pa.). The Heart Institute at UPMC Hamot was established to coordinate and manage the delivery of heart care. The institute is the region’s only provider of the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease, which offers a unique way to treat coronary artery disease through lifestyle changes and education. UPMC Hamot was named one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals for 2013 by Truven Health Analytics, formerly known as the healthcare business of Thomson Reuters.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, Tenn.). Vanderbilt University Medical Center is the first academic medical center in the country to use the PREDICT program, a genetic test to find which blood-thinning drug works best for each patient. It is also the first U.S. medical center to offer GGF2, a drug for patients recovering from heart failure that helped redevelop damaged heart muscle in trials. In 2012, Vanderbilt Heart surgeons performed the hospital’s 100th transcatheter aortic heart valve replacement, the first of which was performed in 2011.
WellStar Cobb Hospital (Austell, Ga.). Located roughly 20 miles outside Atlanta, WellStar Cobb Hospital is an accredited chest pain center through the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Two WellStar cardiologists were recently named to regional leadership roles in prominent cardiac organizations. Barry Mangel, MD, was named as president of the American Heart Association’s metro Atlanta division advisory board and Donald Page, MD, was named the president of the Georgia Chapter of the American College of Cardiology.
Yale New-Haven (Conn.) Hospital. The Yale-New Haven Heart & Vascular Center treats the most heart and vascular patients of any center in the state. Yale-New Haven’s history of innovation dates back to 1949, when two of the hospital’s physicians created the first working heart-lung machine, which is now part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection. Yale-New Haven Hospital is also home to the multidisciplinary Center for Advanced Heart Failure, Mechanical Circulatory Support and Heart Transplantation. The center offers a range of evidence-based treatments, from drug therapies to surgery.
