UPDATE: Cardiothoracic Surgeons Group and The Toledo Hospital Recognized Among Nation’s Top Hospitals for Heart Surgery

TOLEDO, OH–(Marketwire – December 2, 2010) – Cardiothoracic Surgeons for Northwest Ohio and The Toledo Hospital are now in the nation’s top 12% of hospitals for heart surgery. This is according to a three-star comprehensive rating system, developed by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), which compares the quality of heart surgery in hospitals across the country. A three-star rating is the highest designation that a hospital can attain for quality and clinical excellence. Cardiothoracic Surgeons for Northwest Ohio was compared to more than 1,000 surgical groups.

Hospitals are scored on performance in the following four categories — patient survival, absence of surgical complications, recommended medications, and optimal surgical technique. The ratings reflect results from isolated heart-bypass operations called coronary artery bypass grafting to newer versions, which include minimally invasive bypass and other complex cardiac procedures.

“I am grateful to my partners and colleagues at The Toledo Hospital who have worked diligently for years to reach this incredible milestone,” said Michael Moront, MD, senior partner, Cardiothoracic Surgeons for Northwest Ohio. “When patients enter our doors, they can feel confident that they will be receiving the very best care from one of the nation’s leading medical groups.”

Consumers can easily see how surgical groups compare with national benchmarks for survival, complications, and other measures by visiting www.consumerhealthreports.org.

About STS
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 6,000 surgeons, researchers and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. Founded in 1964, the mission of STS is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy. Its National Adult Cardiac Surgery Database includes more than 4 million surgical records and covers roughly 90% of the more than 1,000 surgical groups in the U.S. that perform cardiac surgery, making it the largest such registry in the world.

About Cardiothoracic Surgeons for Northwest Ohio
Cardiothoracic Surgeons for Northwest Ohio is a member of ProMedica Heart and Vascular Institutes, a collaboration of physicians, technology and specialty services. The group provides a comprehensive scope of leading edge patient care and state-of-the-art surgical procedures, including minimally invasive procedures, bloodless surgery, pediatric cardiac surgery, aortic valve repair and replacement and more. Its team of board-certified physicians, specialists and medical staff make up the largest cardiothoracic surgical program in northwest Ohio.

For more information about cardiac services at ProMedica Health System, visit www.promedica.org

Cardiothoracic Surgeons for Northwest Ohio and The Toledo Hospital are members of ProMedica Health System. ProMedica, a mission-based organization, was formed in 1986 and is a Toledo, Ohio-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization with more than 14,000 employees; 3,000 physicians and more than 306 facilities in Ohio and Michigan. ProMedica serves more than 2.73 million patients annually and includes 11 hospitals; ProMedica Continuum Services with senior, hospice, rehabilitation, and integrative services; ProMedica Physician Group, a network of more than 315 primary care and specialty physicians; and Paramount Health Care, the largest HMO in northwest Ohio. For more information, please visit www.promedica.org.