The Coins2Day/IBM Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals 2021

In the long shadow of a devastating, world-disrupting pandemic, it can be easy to lose sight of the other health issues that afflict us. Deadly and awful as COVID has been, it’s heart disease that remains America’s leading killer, claiming roughly 690,000 lives last year. And cardiovascular disease affects many more: Nearly 127 million Americans suffered from some form of it between 2015 and 2018, according to the American Heart Association. The coronavirus, of course, has made managing such conditions more difficult—adding risk and complicating care.

It’s that context that makes the Coins2Day/IBM Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list all the more salient this year: High-quality, cost-effective care for heart patients has arguably never been more important.

Our study data showed a 13.5% decline in patients treated for cardiovascular conditions in 2020, a sharp downturn that likely reflects people delaying and avoiding care during the pandemic—and suggests a wave of people seeking treatment for time-worsened issues to come. Meanwhile, the number of patients diagnosed with heart failure is projected to rise by 46%, to more than 8 million, by 2030. In total, heart disease is estimated to cost the country about $363 billion per year, a figure that will also almost certainly grow.

That’s why in this annual ranking of top cardiovascular hospitals—IBM Watson Health’s 20^th—we consider a broad range of indicators from publicly available data to evaluate performance, including inpatient and 30-day mortality, patient complications, 30-day readmission, and average lengths of stay. We also assess 30-day episode-of-care payment and adjusted cost per case, for acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, percutaneous coronary intervention, and heart-failure patients. This year, we also added a patient experience measure to our criteria. (Hospitals do not apply for awards, and winners do not pay to market this honor.)

Among 951 short-term, acute care, nonfederal hospitals that treat a broad spectrum of heart patients, the winning 50 bested the field when it came to indicators intended to measure clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, financial performance, and patient experience. By IBM Watson Health’s calculation, if all U.S. Cardiovascular hospitals performed at such a level, we’d be much better off—with 6,400 fewer lives lost, 5,000 fewer bypass and angioplasty patients who suffer complications, and $1.4 billion saved each year.

That’s of course what makes this ranking most important. In our underperforming, bank-breaking health care system, these honorees show the way. —Erika Fry

Top community hospitals

1. Oklahoma Heart Hospital South

Location: Oklahoma City
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 1
Website

2. Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center

Location: Indianapolis
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 10
Website

3. Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center

Location: Reno, Nev.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 4
Website

4. Oklahoma Heart Hospital North

Location: Oklahoma City
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 7
Website

5. Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center

Location: Medford, Ore.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 8
Website

6. McLaren Northern Michigan

Location: Petoskey, Mich.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 6
Website

7. Bellin Hospital

Location: Green Bay, Wis.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 12
Website

8. UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital

Location: Waterloo, Iowa
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 5
Website

9. Parkwest Medical Center

Location: Knoxville, Tenn.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 10
Website

10. Harlingen Medical Center

Location: Harlingen, Texas
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 4
Website

Top teaching hospitals with a cardiovascular residency program

1. Mayo Clinic Rochester

Location: Rochester, Minn.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 11
Website

2. Penn Presbyterian Medical Center

Location: Philadelphia
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 8
Website

3. Riverside Methodist Hospital

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 11
Website

4. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Temple

Location: Temple, Texas
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 13
Website

5. Kettering Medical Center

Location: Kettering, Ohio
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 10
Website

6. Ascension Borgess Hospital

Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 6
Website

7. University Hospital

Location: Madison, Wis.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 12
Website

8. Piedmont Atlanta Hospital

Location: Atlanta
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

9. UNC REX Hospital

Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 5
Website

10. Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital

Location: Winfield, Ill.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

11. Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital-Plano

Location: Plano, Texas
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 1
Website

12. Froedert Hospital

Location: Milwaukee
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

13. Baylor University Medical Center

Location: Dallas
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 7
Website

14. Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Location: Chicago
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 3
Website

15. Mayo Clinic Florida

Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 3
Website

16. St. Luke’s University Hospital-Bethlehem

Location: Bethlehem, Pa.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 7
Website

17. Mercy Medical Center

Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

18. Intermountain Medical Center

Location: Murray, Utah
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

19. Summa Health System-Akron Campus

Location: Akron, Ohio
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 6
Website

20. Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center

Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

Top teaching hospitals without a cardiovascular residency program

1. Eisenhower Medical Center

Location: Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 6
Website

2. Redmond Regional Medical Center

Location: Rome, Ga.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

3. St. Joseph’s Hospital

Location: Tampa
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 4
Website

4. Overland Park Regional Medical Center

Location: Overland Park, Kans.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 1
Website

5. Bronson Methodist Hospital

Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 3
Website

6. TriStar Centennial Medical Center

Location: Nashville
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 4
Website

7. Aspirus Wausau Hospital

Location: Wausau, Wis.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 15
Website

8. Missouri Baptist Medical Center

Location: St. Louis
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 1
Website

9. Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Location: Sarasota, Fla.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 8
Website

10. The Medical Center of Aurora

Location: Aurora, Colo.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 1
Website

11. Chippenham Hospital

Location: Richmond, Va.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 5
Website

12. Providence St. Patrick Hospital

Location: Missoula, Mont.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 11
Website

13. Chester County Hospital

Location: West Chester, Pa.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

14. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Hillcrest

Location: Waco, Texas
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

15. Baton Rouge General – Bluebonnet

Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 2
Website

16. The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital

Location: Greensboro, N.C.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 3
Website

17. St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Hospital

Location: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 12
Website

18. Beaumont Hospital, Troy

Location: Troy, Mich.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 5
Website

19. Atrium Health Pineville

Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 4
Website

20. Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola

Location: Pensacola, Fla.
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rank: ★★★★
Heart failure (HF) rank: ★★★★★
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rank: ★★★★★
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rank: ★★★★★
Total number of years on 50 Top list: 5
Website

50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals Methodology

Learn about the methodology for the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list here. Find last year’s list here.