Becker’s Hospital Review has once again ranked UVA among the top 100 hospitals and health systems in the country with great heart, neurosurgery, spine and orthopedics programs. This is the third consecutive year the heart program has received this recognition and the fifth consecutive year the orthopedics, neurosurgery and spine programs have been honored.
To compile its list of hospitals with top heart programs, Becker’s looked at a host of rankings and ratings for heart care, including U.S. News & World Report, which ranked UVA 44thnationally for cardiology & heart surgery in its 2018-2019 “Best Hospitals” guide. UVA also received the best possible rating – “high performing” – from U.S. News for common procedures and conditions that included abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery and heart failure. In addition, UVA received three awards earlier this year from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology for its heart attack care, along with two American Heart Association awards for its heart failure care.
“I am delighted to see our entire team receive this national recognition for all their hard work and dedication to provide the highest-quality care for patients across an array of serious and complex heart conditions,” said Brian Annex, MD, Chief of UVA Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Medical Director of the UVA Heart and Vascular Center.
Quality Orthopedic Care
In choosing UVA Orthopedics, Becker’s highlighted the role of the UVA sports medicine team in caring for UVA student-athletes, as well as the more than 1,000 joint replacement surgeries – many done using minimally invasive techniques – and 1,500 spine surgeries performed each year at UVA. The publication also highlighted health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield designating UVA as a Blue Distinction Center for its expertise in knee and hip replacements.
“This honor from Becker’s Hospital Review highlights both the high quality and the wide range of orthopedic care we provide here at UVA,” said Bobby Chhabra, MD, chair of UVA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “Providing excellent care to our patients is a true team effort, and I want to thank everyone at UVA Health System that works together with our department to serve our patients.”
Leading the Way In Neurosurgery and Spine Care
Recognizing the novel treatments and cutting-edge research offered at UVA, Becker’s specifically cited the Health System’s work with Gamma Knife radiosurgery and focused ultrasound.
UVA neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists are leaders in the use of the Gamma Knife, which helps protect healthy tissue and structures in the brain and spine by using high-energy focused beams of Gamma radiation instead of open surgery to treat patients. The UVA Gamma Knife Center has treated more than 10,000 patients since its opened in 1989.
UVA is also pioneering the use of focused ultrasound, a scalpel-free surgical approach that uses focused sound waves to provide treatment. Clinical trials led by UVA neurosurgeon Jeff Elias, MD, have resulted in U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for focused ultrasound as a treatment for essential tremor and to treat tremors in patients with medication-resistant Parkinson’s disease. Additional clinical trials are ongoing at UVA to evaluate focused ultrasound for other conditions that include breast cancer, brain tumors, epilepsy and pain.
To refer a patient to UVA Health System, call 800.552.3723.