Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed at top-ranked hospitals had similar outcomes for in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury (AKI) and bleeding, as compared to PCIs at non-ranked hospitals, according to results of a study presented Nov. 12 at AHA 2017 in Anaheim, CA, and simultaneously published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Led by Devraj Sukul, MD, the study looked at hospitals enrolled in ACC's CathPCI Registry and compared top-ranked hospitals included in the 2015 U.S. News & World Report's list of 50 best "Cardiology and Heart Surgery" hospitals, vs. non-ranked hospitals.

Results showed that out of 509,153 PCIs at 654 hospitals – of which 10.9 percent were at 44 top-ranked hospitals – PCIs performed at top-ranked hospitals had similar odds of in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury and bleeding after adjusting for case mix. Top-ranked hospitals had a  "slightly lower proportion of appropriate PCI compared with non-ranked hospitals (89.2 percent vs. 92.8 percent)."

The authors explain that "these findings should reassure patients that safe and appropriate PCI is being performed across the nation in hospitals participating in the CathPCI Registry…" They add that moving forward, "much like the initiatives by the ACC and Society of Thoracic Surgeons, we believe it is incumbent upon hospitals, clinical registries and national professional organizations to assist in public reporting efforts aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and quality in health care."

In a related editorial comment, Gregory J. Dehmer, MD, MACC, explains that "this study addresses what is often the foremost question of a patient and their family in their hometown – Is my local hospital doing a good job? To the extent measured by variables in this study, it is reassuring that the answer appears to be 'yes.'"

Keywords: AHA17, AHA Annual Scientific Sessions, Hospital Mortality, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, Hospitals, Registries, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Acute Kidney Injury, Diagnosis-Related Groups, Social Responsibility, Surgeons

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