Numbers Count
When choosing a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon, ask them how much care-- number of patients seen or number of surgeries-- they provide each year. Research studies have shown that better surgical results are directly linked to the number of surgeries and procedures a physician and/or hospital perform annually.

General Guidelines:The American College of Surgeons' guideline for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is 150 open heart operations per year. Vanderbilt Heart Institute performs 404 open heart surgeries per year. For more information, visit the following websites:

• American College of Cardiology
• Society for Thoracic Surgeons
• Society for Vascular Surgery
• University Healthcare Consortium
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Vanderbilt's Heart Experience at a Glance: