News and Information

June 25, 2015

St. Joseph and Harrison Medical Centers Rated Tops in Nation for Cardiac Surgery

Tacoma - CHI Franciscan Health cardiothoracic surgeons at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma and Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton have received the elite 3-Star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR). A 3-Star rating denotes the highest category for quality. STS recognizes programs across the nation for achieving exceptional outcomes; such as mortality and absence of complications. Only 7 percent of open heart programs that are evaluated by STS received the 3-Star designation for AVR in the country.

"This award recognizes the excellent collaborative work by our full team of cardiovascular experts who care for our patients both inside and outside of the operating room," said Medical Director Gregory Eberhart, MD, MMM, CPE, CHI Franciscan Heart Care services. "This 3-star rating highlights the expertise of our staff and is a testament to the dedication of this team to ensure quality and safety for our patients."

CHI Franciscan Health is a leading provider of cardiovascular care in the Puget Sound. The physicians of both St. Joseph Medical Center and Harrison Medical Center provide collaborative care to ensure that optimal outcomes for patients are obtained. Cardiac services include minimally invasive cardiac surgical procedures, catheterization and electrophysiology labs where cardiologists diagnose and treat heart problems, cardiac rehabilitation, and Heart Failure Clinics in Tacoma and Bremerton that provide personalized support for individuals diagnosed with heart failure. For more information on CHI Franciscan Health's cardiovascular services visit us at franciscanheart.org.

About CHI Franciscan Health

CHI Franciscan Health is nonprofit health system based in Tacoma, WA with a team of more than 12,000 doctors, nurses and staff who provide expert, compassionate medical care at eight acute care hospitals and more than 100 primary and specialty care clinics in Pierce, King and Kitsap counties. This includes St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor, one of the newest hospitals in the state; St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood; St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw, designated as a Critical Access Hospital; St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way; St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma, a tertiary referral center; Harrison Medical Center, Bremerton and Silverdale, offering the only dedicated orthopedic hospital on the Peninsula; Highline Medical Center, Burien; and Regional Hospital, a long-term acute care hospital located within Highline Medical Center. Started in 1891 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, today CHI Franciscan Health is one of the largest health systems in Washington state with more than 1,100 acute care beds, a credentialed medical staff of more than 1,500 including more than 550 employed physicians providing specialties in cardiovascular care, cancer services, orthopedics and sports medicine, neurosciences, women's care, surgical weight loss and hospice and palliative care. More babies are born at CHI Franciscan Health hospitals than any other system in our service area and at St. Joseph, Level III neonatal intensive care is provided in collaboration with neonatologists from Seattle Children's Hospital. Every year, more than 300,000 of our neighbors turn to our hospitals' 24/7 emergency departments, including the Level II Trauma Center at St. Joseph. Recipient of numerous awards and accreditations for our institutions and services, CHI Franciscan Health's mission is to create healthier communities, including caring for the poor and underserved. In 2014, we provided $115 million in community benefit, including $27 million in charity care.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is an international not-for-profit organization representing cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and other health care professionals who are part of the cardiothoracic surgery team. STS members are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus as well as other surgical procedures of the chest.

CHI Franciscan Health