The Hartford HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Harford Hospital has once again received the prestigious Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Mitral Foundation for a demonstrated record of superior clinical outcomes resulting from evidence-based, guideline-directed degenerative mitral valve repair.
The Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award was developed to identify, recognize and promote the nation’s recognized medical centers for mitral valve repair surgery.
“Those Centers which perform a sufficient number of repairs and qualify to apply for recognition must meet rigorous outcomes criteria for repair rates, mortality and durability,” says David H. Adams, MD, President of the Mitral Foundation.
Hartford Hospital has earned the award for demonstrating adherence to evidence-based treatment guidelines as well as an ongoing commitment to reporting and measuring quality and outcome metrics specific to mitral valve repairs.
“To be recognized once again by the AHA and the Mitral Foundation demonstrates that the Hartford HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Hartford Hospital is among the elite programs for mitral valve repair in the country and is a testament to the fierce focus our team has on providing the safest and highest quality care to our patients,” said Bimal Patel, Hartford HealthCare Hartford Region President and Senior Vice President, Hartford HealthCare.
The recommended treatment for degenerative mitral valve disease is mitral valve reconstruction, as opposed to valve replacement with a bioprosthetic or mechanical valve since valve repair is associated with improved survival and fewer long-term complications. Many patients who would benefit from repair receive replacement valves, with higher rates of death or complications within five years after surgery.
“We are pleased to recognize Hartford Hospital for their commitment to patients who need mitral valve repair,” said Robert O. Bonow, MD, professor of cardiology at Northwestern University and past president of the American Heart Association. “Choosing the right hospital for heart surgery is one of the most important healthcare decisions that patients and their referring physicians must make to ensure best outcomes. The Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center award identifies hospitals with excellent processes and outcomes and gives patients and cardiologists the information necessary to make these important decisions when mitral valve surgery is required.”
This is the third consecutive year that Hartford Hospital has achieved this recognition since the program launched in November of 2019.
“The American Heart Association and the Mitral Valve Foundation set high standards for this award. It takes a lot of skill, hard work, and attention to details for a hospital to achieve such recognition,” said Sabet Hashim, MD, FACS, Chairman of Cardiac Surgery and Co-Physician in Chief of the Hartford HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute. “At Hartford Hospital, we are thankful for the immense contributions of our administration, staff and surgeons.”
More information about the American Heart Association and Mitral Foundation Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award is available at on www.heart.org.