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You are Here: Home Page > 1997 Press Releases > State Issues Annual Cardiac Surgery Report  

State Issues Annual Cardiac Surgery Report

Albany, September 4 – New York hospitals and cardiac surgeons continue to achieve excellent survival rates for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, according to a report released today by State Health Commissioner Barbara A. DeBuono, M.D.

"New York's risk–adjusted death rate for coronary bypass surgery has dropped by more than 40 percent since the State began monitoring surgery outcomes, and is the lowest so far reported in the United States," Commissioner DeBuono said.

"We believe that monitoring outcomes and sharing performance data with patients, hospitals and physicians has been instrumental in improving the quality of cardiac surgery and achieving high survival rates for patients in New York State," the Commissioner said.

In 1995, the year covered by the Health Department report, the average statewide mortality rate for all patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery in New York State was 2.52 deaths per 100 patients. The death rate has dropped from 3.52 per 100 in 1989, when the Department of Health first began publishing hospital specific mortality data.

"The low mortality rates reflect an impressive record on the part of New York's hospitals and surgeons," the Commissioner said. "The information should be reassuring and useful to New York patients who may be facing bypass surgery."

A total of 19,283 coronary bypass surgeries were performed statewide in 1995, up from 18,051 in 1994 and 16,690 in 1993. The risk–adjusted mortality rates varied among hospitals, ranging from 1.16 to 5.67 deaths per 100 patients.

St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse had the lowest risk–adjusted mortality rate –– 1.16 per 100 patients –– which is significantly lower than the statewide average of 2.52. St. Joseph's performed 799 coronary bypass surgeries, with only nine deaths.

Only two hospitals had bypass surgery mortality rates significantly above the statewide average. Millard Fillmore Hospital in Buffalo had 30 deaths among 708 surgeries for a risk adjusted death rate of 4.68 per 100. University Hospital in Syracuse experienced 15 deaths among 450 patients undergoing bypass surgery, resulting in a risk adjusted death rate of 4.98 per 100 patients.

To ensure that cardiac surgery teams operate frequently enough to maintain a high degree of skill, New York State has approved only 32 hospitals to perform open heart surgery. To equitably compare mortality rates among hospitals and surgeons, the Department of Health collects and computerizes information on more than 40 patient risk factors that can affect surgery outcome and the risk of death for individual patients. Detailed statistical analyses of the information is carried out under the guidance of the New York State Cardiac Advisory Committee, comprised of recognized cardiologists, surgeons and other medical specialists within and outside of New York.

The Health Department will mail copies of its Cardiac Surgery Report to all cardiologists in the state. These physicians normally make referrals to surgeons for patients who are candidates for coronary bypass surgery. The booklets also will be made available to hospitals and libraries, and the data will be posted on the Health Department's Internet site (www.health.state.ny.us). Copies of the report may be obtained by writing to: Cardiac Report, Box 2000, Albany, New York 12220.

The annual Cardiac Surgery Report is one of many quality measurement tools the State Health Department uses to monitor and evaluate the quality of cardiac care. Next month the Department will issue a hospital–specific report on angioplasty mortality.

9/4/97–87 OPA