By Liz Torrey

VCU Health Pauley Heart Center was recently named as the top place to receive cardiovascular care in Virginia by Becker’s Hospital Review. The recognition is based on US News & World Report’s annual ranking of more than 5,000 hospitals across the nation in 15 specialties and 21 procedures and conditions.

Pauley Heart Center was listed as the top-rated hospital in Virginia for cardiology, heart surgery and vascular surgery — placing Pauley within the top 10% of all heart centers in the nation. The center received national high-performing recognition for heart attack treatment, heart failure treatment and heart bypass surgery specifically.

To receive high-performing designation in a specialty from U.S. New and World Report, a hospital must excel in caring for the sickest, most medically complex patients.

Hospitals evaluated for the rankings reviewed based on patient outcomes, patient experience, public transparency and advanced clinical technologies. In August of this year, U.S. News and World Report ranked VCU Medical Center the number one hospital in Richmond for the 13th consecutive year, as well as the number two hospital in Virginia.

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
• Nurse staffing for heart attack, heart failure, and heart bypass surgery patients – More nursing care per patient is associated with better outcomes and better patient experience

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.