LIJ, North Shore University Hospital Among Healthgrades 100 Best Hospitals

Return to Heart Health Updates

LIJ ranked No. 1 in NY State for cardiac surgery; NSUH No. 2 for overall cardiac services, cardiology services and coronary interventions

GREAT NECK, NY -- LIJ Medical Center in New Hyde Park and North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) in Manhasset have been named among America’s 100 Best Hospitals for cardiac care, cardiac surgery and coronary intervention, according to a recently released report by HealthGrades, an independent group that analyzes hospital quality outcomes.  LIJ was also ranked number one in New York State for cardiac surgery for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012); and NSUH was ranked number two in the state for overall cardiac services, cardiology services and coronary interventional (heart stent) procedures in 2012.

HealthGrades analyzed Medicare patient outcome data from 5,000 hospitals nationwide from 2008 through 2010, the most recent years for which data were available, publishing performance outcomes for cardiac services in its 2011 Healthcare Consumerism and Hospital Quality in America report.  A quality comparison of doctors and hospitals in the New York area can be found online at HealthGrades.com [topcities.healthgrades.com/ratings/newyork-ny].

Among the achievements noted in the report, NSUH and LIJ consistently received five-star ratings, the highest possible hospital rating, in multiple cardiac service areas, which translates to a 73 percent lower chance of death compared to one-star hospitals, according to HealthGrades. 

NSUH was recognized with five-star ratings for the following clinical achievements: 

•  Five-Star Rated for Overall Cardiac Services for Five Years in a Row (2008-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Cardiac Surgery for Five Years in a Row (2008-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Cardiology Services for Two Years in a Row (2011-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Coronary Bypass Surgery in 2012
•  Five-Star Rated for Valve Surgery for Six Years in a Row (2007-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Coronary Interventional Procedures for 10 Years in a Row (2003-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Attack for Seven Years in a Row (2006-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure in 2012

LIJ received five-star recognition for the following clinical achievements:

•  Five-Star Rated for Overall Cardiac Services for Two Years in a Row (2011-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Coronary Interventional Procedures for 10 Years in a Row (2003-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Cardiac Surgery for Three Years in a Row (2010-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Coronary Bypass Surgery for Four Years in a Row (2009-2012)
•  Five-Star Rated for Valve Surgery for Two Years in a Row (2011-2012)   

“The North Shore-LIJ Health System is committed to providing the highest quality care to our patients,” said Stanley Katz, MD, senior vice president of cardiovascular services and chair of cardiology at North Shore-LIJ. “Our cardiac physicians and their teams at LIJ Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital are making major treatment breakthroughs in the field, improving the lives of our patients in our community. The HealthGrades ratings demonstrate our excellent outcomes in cardiac care, which are accessible to consumers online and are extremely useful for patients and loved ones making the important decision of choosing their cardiologists and hospitals.”

“Patients today have a wide array options when it comes to choosing a healthcare provider,” said Kerry Hicks, HealthGrades chief executive officer. “At HealthGrades, we are proud to have led the way for empowering patient choice based on objective clinical outcomes and access to actionable quality measures. We commend North Shore University Hospital and LIJ Medical Center for its superior clinical cardiac achievements and its transparency in the New York area.”

Long Island Jewish Medical Center was also recognized for the following clinical achievements:

In addition, North Shore University Hospital was recognized for the following clinical achievements:

Key findings of the HealthGrades 2011 Healthcare Consumerism and Hospital Quality in America report include:

•  On average, patients had a 73 percent lower risk of dying in a five-star rated hospital compared to a one-star rated hospital, and a 54 percent lower risk of dying in a five-star rated hospital compared to the national average.
•  If all Medicare patients from 2008 through 2010 had been treated at five-star hospitals, 240,040 lives could have potentially been saved.
•  If all Medicare patients from 2008 through 2010 had gone to five-star hospitals for their procedure, 164,472 in-hospital complications could have potentially been avoided.

About North Shore-LIJ

The nation's second-largest, non-profit, secular healthcare system, North Shore-LIJ delivers world-class clinical care throughout the New York metropolitan area, pioneering research at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and a visionary approach to medical education, highlighted by the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. The winner of the National Quality Forum’s 2010 National Quality Healthcare Award, North Shore-LIJ cares for people at every stage of life at 15 hospitals, including nationally renowned children’s and psychiatric hospitals, long-term care facilities and more than 200 ambulatory care centers throughout the region. As an integrated, academic health system, North Shore-LIJ’s 110 residency and fellowship programs serve as a training ground for more than 1,200 future physicians, many of whom hone their skills at North Shore-LIJ’s Patient Safety Institute – the nation’s largest patient simulation center. As evidence of its commitment to community health and patient-focused research, Feinstein Institute scientists and North Shore-LIJ physicians enroll more than 1,200 people every year in clinical research studies. North Shore-LIJ’s owned hospitals and long-term care facilities house about 5,600 beds, employ more than 10,000 nurses and have affiliations with more than 9,000 physicians. Its workforce of about 43,000 is the largest on Long Island and the ninth-largest in New York City.  For more information, go to www.northshorelij.com.

About HealthGrades
HealthGrades is America's most trusted, independent source of physician information and hospital quality outcomes. HealthGrades online properties are the nation's leading destination for physician search and empower more than 170 million consumers annually to make informed healthcare decisions.  www.healthgrades.com.

Media Contact:   Betty Olt
516-465-2645
bolt@nshs.edu