The VCU Health Pauley Heart Center has been ranked 42nd in the nation for cardiology, heart surgery, and vascular surgery in US News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals survey, making Pauley one of the best heart hospitals in the country. This is Pauley’s highest ranking in the survey in 15 years.

Further, Pauley retained its rank as the top heart hospital in Virginia for the third consecutive year. The center received national high-performing recognition for heart attack treatment, heart failure treatment and heart bypass surgery specifically.

“At Pauley, our mission is to improve cardiovascular care for all through research, outreach, education, and the best clinical care in the Commonwealth,” said Pauley Heart Center Director Greg Hundley, MD. “We have achieved this outstanding national recognition from U.S. News & World Report thanks to that mission, and more importantly, thanks to the tireless Pauley team members who enact it seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

In the cardiology and heart & vascular surgery specialty, the publication evaluated hospitals on their treatment of heart and vascular cases, including heart transplants, major chest procedures, and patients with heart disease and other complex conditions, among others.

Pauley received the highest possible score in the areas of:

• 30-day survival - Rates of survival for patients 30 days after being admitted
• Advanced technologies – Level of provider and patient access to the latest cardiovascular treatments
• Discharging patients to home - How often patients go directly home from Pauley rather than being discharged to another facility
• Patient services – Quality of patient services, such as programs for cardiac rehabilitation

To compile their rankings, US News evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions; only about 10% of hospitals in the country earned a Best Hospitals ranking. Hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excel at factors such as clinical outcomes, level of nursing care, and patient experience. To receive high-performing designation in a specialty, a hospital must excel in caring for the sickest, most medically complex patients.

VCU Health itself was ranked the number one hospital in Richmond for the 14th consecutive year, as well as the number two hospital in Virginia.

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Headquartered in Richmond with outpatient centers throughout central and southeast Virginia, Pauley’s services include inpatient and outpatient care ranging from noninvasive cardiology to heart transplantation. Pauley has an active cardiovascular disease research program that furthers knowledge of treatments and cures of heart disease. As part of VCU Health’s academic medical center, Pauley team members are also training the next generation of cardiologists.