A leader in cardiothoracic surgery, Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery. The three-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places Saint Alphonsus among the elite for AVR surgery in the United States and Canada
AVR surgery is used to treat aortic valve diseases. The most common is aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the heart valve that often leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, swollen ankles/feet, decreased activity levels, and fatigue. During the procedure, the surgeon will carefully remove the damaged valve and replace it with a new valve.
The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs in the United States and Canada. The star rating is calculated using a combination of quality measures for specific procedures performed by an STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participant. Historically, approximately 4%–8% of participants receive a three-star rating for isolated AVR surgery. The latest analysis of data for AVR surgery covers a 3-year period, from January 2021 to December 2023.
“The Society of Thoracic Surgeons congratulates STS National Database participants who have received three-star ratings,” said David M. Shahian, MD, chair of the Task Force on Quality Measurement. “Participation in the Database and public reporting demonstrates a commitment to quality improvement in health care delivery and helps provide patients and their families with meaningful information to help them make informed decisions about health care.”
“As Idaho’s only open-heart program to achieve a Three-Star Rating in isolated Aortic Valve Replacement, this prestigious designation represents Saint Alphonsus’ ongoing commitment to providing exceptional heart care to our region. I would like to recognize the patients, nurses, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, OR and ICU personnel, advanced practice providers and the administration at Saint Alphonsus who both give us their trust and work hard for these great outcomes,” said Dr. Robert Saeid Farivar MD, PhD, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. “We will continue to build on this foundation to provide superb cardiac care for Idaho and the surrounding communities. Being ranked an elite cardiothoracic surgery program in the United States is a great honor and shows that the work we do here is world-class.”
To learn more about Saint Alphonsus Cardiovascular program, click here.