In addition to rating hospitals, Fortune Magazine and PINC AI also rate the Top 50 Heart Hospitals because heart disease is the deadliest thing facing adults in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds.  

The seriousness of heart disease is also why, with your support, Genesis HealthCare System established the Heart & Vascular Institute. We adhere to the highest standards when recruiting physicians, surgeons and team members. We continually adopt proven new procedures and offer several minimally invasive options for common heart-related ailments.

Between the hundreds of team members who support our Heart & Vascular Institute and the thousands of community members who trust us with their health, we have the honor of being a Top 50 Heart Hospital for the second year in a row.

What does Top 50 Heart Hospital mean?

• 28% fewer acute myocardial infarction (AMI) deaths and 50% fewer coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) deaths.

• 32% fewer percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and 38% fewer CABG  patients with complications. Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and CABG patients (0.3 to 0.7% higher).

• Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and CABG patients (0.3 to 0.7% higher).

• Lower 30-day readmission rates for AMI, HF and CABG patients (0.4 to 0.8% points lower).

• Shorter average lengths of stay between patient groups – 0.3 for AMI, 0.6 for HF, 0.3 for PCI and one full day for CABG.

• $2,503 to $9,931 less in total costs per patient case.

• Patients had a better experience at top performing hospitals compared to the remaining peer hospitals, with a top-box Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) score of 71% versus 67%.

Between the hundreds of team members who support our Heart & Vascular Institute and the thousands of community members who trust us with their health, we have the honor of being a Top 50 Heart Hospital for the second year in a row.

Awarded by Fortune/PINC AI

For more than 70 years, heart disease has taken more American lives than any other illness or injury. That is why Genesis HealthCare System created the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute. It is why we recruit the best heart doctors and invest in the most innovative technology to perform advanced heart procedures.

“Achieving this national recognition as one of the top 50 heart hospitals in America is a huge honor for the entire team at Genesis,” said Matt Perry, President and CEO of Genesis HealthCare System. “This level of exceptional care our team provides each patient is the result of many years of building an exceptional team of physicians, nurses and technicians, and implementing the latest, innovative technologies. You trusted us to care for you when you were in need of heart care, and your faith in us made this achievement possible.”

When Fortune Magazine/PINC AI, a healthcare improvement technology company, rated hospitals across the United States for 2023, Genesis ranked number seven in the community heart hospital category, the highest community ranking in Ohio.

Rankings were based on results for treating patients with a wide range of heart conditions and the cost of that care. According to Fortune Magazine/PINC AI, the winning hospitals achieved the following successes compared to non-winning hospitals: 

• Significantly higher inpatient survival rates (19.0 to 40.6% higher). 
• Fewer patients with complications (13.2 to 15.4% fewer complications). 
• Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients (0.4 to 0.9% points higher). 
• Lower 30-day readmission rates for AMI, HF and CABG patients (0.5 to 1.0% points lower).
• Average lengths of stay varied between patient groups from 0.6 (AMI, HF, PCI) to 0.8 (CABG) shorter length of stay. 
• $860 to $5,076 less in total costs per patient case (the smallest dollar-amount difference was for HF, and the largest was for CABG). 
• Lower average 30-day episode of care payments for AMI and HF ($1,493 and $781 less per episode, respectively). 
• Patients had a better experience at benchmark hospitals compared to peer hospitals, with a top-box HCAHPS score of 75% versus 70%.

 “The recognition of being one of the top 50 heart hospitals is an outstanding accomplishment,” said Tabitha McKenzie, R.N., BSN, MBA, Director of Genesis Heart & Vascular Services. “The team continues to do a phenomenal job. They are dedicated to bringing the best heart care to our patients and community.”

If all hospitals performed at top 50 heart hospital levels, each year there would be more than: 

• 7,600 lives saved. 
• 6,700 complication-free heart patients.
• $1 billion saved. 

According to Fortune Magazine/PINC AI.

Awarded by Fortune/PINC AI

Do you know your blood pressure reading? For most of us, we can’t rattle off the number. That is until our doctor tells us it’s too high. Over 50% of Americans have hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, but you don’t need to become part of that statistic. 

The American Heart Association considers any reading over 120 systolic or 80 diastolic prehypertension. Anything above 130/80 is considered hypertension. Even if you haven’t been diagnosed, take steps to prevent your blood pressure from rising. 

“Hypertension is the leading cause of stroke, vision loss, heart failure, heart attack, kidney disease and sexual dysfunction. People with low blood pressure are 25% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease,” explained Kendra L. Connell, DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner with the Genesis Group.

Lowering your blood pressure doesn’t need to be difficult. Incorporate these habits into your life today to ensure a healthy heart for years.

Healthy diet

Eating nutritious food is one of the easiest ways to lower blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends using the DASH diet to stop hypertension. This diet consists of foods full of potassium, calcium and magnesium, natural nutrients that help control blood pressure. Most importantly, the DASH diet reduces sodium intake.

Regular exercise

According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderately intensive weekly exercise lowers high blood pressure. These activities could be as simple as 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week. Enroll in a dance class, swim team or other exercise groups. The important thing is that you’re moving.

Cut down on caffeine 

In short, caffeine can cause spikes in blood pressure. For those with hypertension, cutting down on caffeine is a good idea. Avoid drinking caffeine before checking your blood pressure for optimum results. If you’re struggling with hypertension, limit caffeine to two cups of coffee a day. It’s best to drink fewer than four cups a day even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

 
Avoid smoking

Smoking tobacco constricts arteries, which raises your blood pressure over time. If you want to avoid hypertension, work on quitting the habit. Smoking also causes a temporary spike in blood pressure, so avoid smoking before getting checked.

Limit or avoid alcohol 

Studies show that overconsumption of alcohol is associated with hypertension. The American Heart Association recommends that men should have no more than two drinks a day and women should have one drink a day at most. Limit your alcohol intake to a minimum to avoid high blood pressure.

Manage stress

Although we’re never be able to live a completely stress-free life, learning how to lower stress is vital. Spend time taking care of yourself. Say no when you can, and track stress triggers. Develop plans for dealing with stressful situations and ask for help when needed.

Speak with your doctor

Tracking your blood pressure is the first step to lowering it. Pay attention to the numbers. If you’re concerned about your blood pressure, speak with your primary care doctor. They’ll be able to offer advice tailored to your situation.

Here’s how and why you should lower your blood pressure.

TCAR is a less-invasive method for reducing the risk of stroke and complications while treating carotid artery disease in one or both neck arteries. 

MitraClip™ Implant Questions and Answers

1. What is mitral valve regurgitation?

a. This occurs when the mitral valve flap in your heart does not work correctly, allowing blood to leak backwards into the heart.

2. Are there symptoms?

a. You may be symptom free, or suffer from one or more of the following including a mild cough, lightheadedness, fatigue, shortness of breath that increases with activity and lying down or rapid heartbeat.

3. Is mitral valve regurgitation dangerous?

a. There are two forms of mitral valve regurgitation. Degenerative mitral regurgitation is when a valve is damaged. The damage can be from a birth defect, certain infections or aging. Degenerative mitral regurgitation can lead to strokes.

4. Who are candidates for MitraClip?

a. MitraClip can help, if you have degenerative mitral regurgitation and are considered high risk for surgery. MitraClip is a solution for functional mitral disease if treatments did not help.

5. What happens during the procedure?

a. The MitraClip implant is a one time, minimally invasive procedure. The implant is inserted through a vein in your upper leg and guided to your heart, where it is attached to your mitral valve.

General anesthesia is used so you will be asleep during the procedure.

6. How does MitraClip help?

a. After the MitraClip is attached to the malfunctioning mitral valve in your heart, it will help the valve to close properly and restore normal blood flow through the heart.

7. What happens after the procedure?

a. You will stay in the hospital for one to three days. After the implant, you will take a blood thinner and aspirin. A checkup will occur in 30 days and at one year.

8. Who is on the procedure team?

a. A trained and experienced team of physicians make up the MitraClip team. The team includes Kinan Kassar, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist, Mahmoud Farhoud, M.D., Cardiologist Imaging Specialist and Selomie Kebede, M.D., Cardiologist Imaging Specialist. Each of these physicians are part of the Genesis Heart & Vascular Group.

MitraClip™ Implant Questions and Answers