Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
Remains Among America's Top 10 Heart Centers
Twenty-second Consecutive Year of Top 10 Rankings
Houston, Texas (July 17, 2012) – The Texas Heart Institute (THI) at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital (SLEH) has once again been named one of the top 10 heart centers in the nation in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings announced today. THI, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is named No. 6 and has been ranked in the top 10 every year since the prestigious rankings began in 1991.
"These rankings reflect real quality care and dedication from our medical staff for people who suffer from the most deadly and costly disease of our time," said THI President and Medical Director James T. Willerson, MD. "That care, coupled with our continual progress on life-saving research and medical advancement, translates directly into lives saved and improved. It all gives us a lengthy track record of which we are very proud."
The Texas Heart Institute (www.texasheart.org), founded by world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Denton A. Cooley in 1962, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative and progressive programs in research, education and improved patient care. THI at SLEH consistently ranks high despite being in competition with much larger, more highly endowed and heavily funded heart centers.
"For 50 years we have worked very hard to find ever better ways to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease and spread new knowledge worldwide," said Dr. Denton A. Cooley, THI's founder and President Emeritus. "To see our efforts so consistently reflected by these independent rankings is very gratifying."
The annual national 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 skill in diagnosing, treating or managing difficult medical conditions. U.S. News evaluated data from nearly 5,000 hospitals, of which fewer than 150 met the standard of being nationally ranked in one or more specialties. The magazine evaluated data, engaged in physician surveys and considered patient outcomes, then recognized the 50 top-scoring hospitals in each category it reviewed.
SLEH also placed among the nation's leading hospitals in Diabetes & Endocrinology; Ear, Nose & Throat; Gastroenterology; Geriatrics; Nephrology; Neurology & Neurosurgery; Orthopedics; Pulmonology; and Urology.
In addition to the national rankings, SLEH was ranked as the No. 2 hospital in Texas and in the Houston Metro area, and was designated high-performing in the areas of Cancer and Gynecology.
"At St. Luke's, our priority is providing compassionate, Faithful, Loving Care® to our patients and their families," said Margaret M. Van Bree, DrPH, CEO, SLEH, and senior vice president, St. Luke's Episcopal Health System. "This honor acknowledges our commitment to clinical excellence and exceptional patient care."
For more information about the rankings, visit U.S. News online at www.usnews.com/besthospitals.
For media inquiries please contact:
Director of Public Affairs
Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
Frank Michel ♦ 832-355-9510 ♦ fmichel@texasheart.org
For THI and St. Luke's media profiles, see Public Affairs.
