Top Ratings for Cardiothoracic Surgery Specialties

Stony Brook University Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Program within Stony Brook Heart Institute has earned the highest rating possible — three stars — from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in mitral valve repair/replacement (MVRR) and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG or heart bypass surgery) procedures. The latest rating period is from January 2021 to December 2023.

Stony Brook received its first three-star rating from the STS for CABG procedures in 2017 and has consistently received the top ratings since. 

Top-Rated Outcomes and Quality of Care

"The three-star ratings are reflective of our entire Heart Institute's dedication — from surgeons, nurses, physician assistants and many other healthcare professionals — to delivering top-quality care and outcomes for our patients," says Allison J. McLarty, Interim Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Professor of Surgery, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University. "At Stony Brook, patients can have the confidence of knowing they’re getting cardiac care from world-class cardiothoracic physicians at one of the top-rated facilities in the nation."

The recent analysis of the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database included data from 964 participants on cases between 2021 and 2023. Participating programs were rated on a range of one to three stars. The STS three-star ratings — one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in healthcare — that Stony Brook achieved is an “Overall Composite Score” for patient outcomes and quality of care for isolated CABG surgery procedures and for mitral valve repair/replacement (MVRR) procedures performed. It measures a surgical team’s performance before, during and after the surgical procedure.   

How the Ratings are Determined

To determine the star ratings, the STS collects information from adult cardiothoracic surgical programs that participate in the STS National Database. The public reporting of participants’ star ratings is voluntary and demonstrates a commitment to providing ever-improving quality healthcare. More than 95 percent of hospitals in the U.S. with cardiothoracic surgical programs submit data to the STS, and approximately 20 percent of participants receive the three-star rating for CABG surgery and approximately 10 percent receive a three-star rating for MVRR procedures. 

“At Stony Brook Medicine, we take great pride in our long legacy of raising the level of cardiothoracic surgical care for our patients,” says Apostolos Tassiopoulos, MD, FACS, Chair, Department of Surgery; Chief, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and Professor of Surgery, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University. “We remain laser-focused on serving our community with all the best that only a University-based academic medical center can offer — the most advanced technology, an outstanding cardiovascular staff and the full spectrum of lifesaving cardiothoracic interventions.” 

Credible, Reliable Information for Patients

Isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is the most often performed cardiac surgery, but like any open-heart procedure, it requires a high degree of expertise to achieve clinical excellence. STS star ratings of sites enrolled in public reporting provide accurate, unbiased information about the quality and safety of the care provided by different heart surgery providers. It is considered the definitive national reporting system for cardiac surgery.

The Full Spectrum of Quality Cardiac Care

Stony Brook's cardiothoracic surgeons regularly perform the full spectrum of cardiac lifesaving procedures. A few examples include:

• TAVR. Stony Brook Heart Institute offers the minimally invasive procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for high, intermediate or low-risk patients. 
• Mitral Valve Repair. Stony Brook is one of the few surgical practices that has specialized experience in mitral valve repair surgeries.
• Electrophysiology. The Stony Brook Heart Rhythm Center performs in- and outpatient evaluation and management of all types cardiac arrhythmias.
• Cardiac Catheterization. Our specialists handle the most complex procedures on-site, so patients can be treated quickly and made stable without any transport time. Our Advanced Cath/EP Lab is equipped with the latest imaging for greater precision and safety. 

Our Stony Brook Heart Institute cardiothoracic surgeons:

Allison J. McLarty, Interim Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery; Surgical Director, Ventricular Assist Device Program; Director, Lung Evaluation Center and Professor of Surgery, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
Ankit Dhamija, MD
Sathappan Kumar, MD
Jonathan D. Price, MD
Maroun Yammin, MD

The Stony Brook Difference

• Healthgrades has named Stony Brook University Hospital as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care™. Stony Brook is one of only two hospitals in NYS to be named among America's 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care for ten years in a row. 
• A full cardiac surgery team is available 24/7 for any level of patient care needed — from simple to complex — so the patient can be treated at one place without losing valuable, lifesaving time.
• Testing and treatments are delivered by medical faculty physicians, making Stony Brook Medicine the only academic-based facility of its kind in Suffolk County.