Clinical Activities and Outcomes 2009

A letter from Patrick M. McCarthy, MD

As the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute of Northwestern celebrates its fifth anniversary, we reflect on our original goal to build a nationally recognized program that is a destination for those requiring highly specialized cardiovascular care. Now, five years later, through hard work, dedication and attention to detail, we remain ever vigilant of maintaining this achievement.

We are once again proud to share our Clinical Activities and Outcomes Report and Microsite, which highlights many aspects of our performance for 2009. We hope that it will serve as a valuable resource.

Report (pdf)

Microsite

At the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, we evaluate our clinical outcomes so that we can fully understand how our treatments and procedures benefit our patients. We offer the latest advances in cardiovascular care including innovative treatment, promising research and multidisciplinary support. We regularly review and evaluate our clinical outcomes and, based on the results, develop methods to monitor and improve the healthcare we offer to our heart and vascular patients.

Our clinical excellence, comprehensive programs and superior clinical outcomes have again been recognized at the national level. In 2010, U.S. News & World Report ranked our Heart and Heart Surgery program 14th in the nation.

Throughout the report and microsite, we share stories from many of the patients who have been referred to us for specialized care and treatment. Close cooperation with referring physicians is a critical component of the high-quality care we provide and we strive to constantly ensure that patients, especially those at high risk, can benefit from a highly coordinated approach.

We are committed to open communication with referring physicians and progressive clinical care. We work to investigate new technologies, medications, techniques and devices while offering our patients the most advanced treatment available in a healing environment that is designed to respond to the patient’s needs.

Our hope is that physicians and patients alike will find this report and microsite educational, informative and useful when planning cardiovascular care. Please know that when you need advanced treatment, the nationally recognized experts at the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute are available to evaluate and respond to your medical needs.

Patrick M. McCarthy, MD
Chief
Division of Cardiac Surgery Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Director
Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute

Heller-Sacks Professor of Surgery
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine