For more than 70 years, cardiovascular disease has reigned as America’s leading killer. That’s true for men, women, and the majority of the nation’s racial and ethnic groups, and it remained the case even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, deaths due to heart disease spiked in 2020 across all groups, claiming 697,000 lives—one every 34 seconds—and reversing years of meaningful progress the U.S. had made in managing the disease.
Those increased rates, thought to be driven by delays in care, poorer diet and exercise habits during the pandemic, and increased risk for some after a COVID-19 infection, make painfully clear the importance of good, timely care for the millions of individuals living with a form of heart disease. The American Heart Association estimated that between 2015-2018 that group included 127 million people, and that the total costs of the disease were $378 billion between 2017-2018.
For the past 25 years, the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals study has drawn upon publicly available data to rank top-performing heart hospitals; the goal is to highlight the best providers, but also to benchmark high-quality care and drive improvement across all systems over time. Hospitals and health systems do not apply to participate in the study, and award winners do not pay to market their honor.
This year’s rating is part of Premier’s PINC AI 100 Top Hospitals program, operated by Premier, a health care improvement and technology company. For the list, Premier crunched the numbers on 937 short-term, acute, nonfederal hospitals in the U.S. that treat a broad range of cardiovascular patients. Hospitals are segmented into three groups— community hospitals, teaching hospitals with cardiovascular residency programs, and teaching hospitals without them—and evaluated according to measures that capture, among other things, clinical outcomes, efficiency, and patient experience.
Compared to nonwinning peer hospitals, those in the Top 50 operated at lower cost and had better outcomes, recording significantly higher inpatient survival rates, fewer patients with complications, lower readmission rates, and from $860 to $5,076 less in total costs per patient case. Those add up to meaningful differences. According to the study’s analysis, if all hospitals operated at the level of the study’s 50 best performers, there would be 7,600 fewer deaths due to heart disease, 6,700 fewer patients who suffer complications, and more than $1 billion saved each year.
In America’s long battle with heart disease, these are improvements to hope for, and hospitals to follow. —Erika Fry
Top community hospitals
1. 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: 11
Website
2. 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: 2
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: 5
Website
4. 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: 7
Website
5. Mercy Health – Lourdes Hospital
Location: Paducah, Ky.
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
6. CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs
Location: Hot Springs, Ark.
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
7. Genesis Hospital
Location: Zanesville, 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: 1
Website
8. 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: 13
Website
9. Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Location: Barrington, 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: 3
Website
10. MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown
Location: Columbia, S.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: 1
Website
Top teaching hospitals with a cardiovascular residency program
1. 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: 9
Website
2. 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: 12
Website
3. 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: 7
Website
4. Froedtert 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: 3
Website
5. 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: 14
Website
6. 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: 12
Website
7. Mayo Clinic Phoenix
Location: Phoenix
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
8. 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: 8
Website
9. Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
Location: La Jolla, 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: 1
Website
10. 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: 11
Website
10. 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: 3
Website
12. 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: 4
Website
13. 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: 3
Website
14. 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: 2
Website
15. 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: 6
Website
16. Medical City Dallas
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: 1
Website
17. 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: 3
Website
18. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital
Location: Lancaster, 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
19. Mercy Medical Center – Cedar Rapids
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: 3
Website
20. MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center
Location: Des Moines, 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: 8
Website
Top teaching hospitals without a cardiovascular residency program
1. 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: 3
Website
2. 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: 6
Website
3. 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: 7
Website
4. 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: 6
Website
5. CHI Memorial
Location: Chattanooga, 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: 5
Website
6. St. Joseph’s Hospital
Location: Tampa, 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
7. Bronson Methodist Hospital
8. Memorial Hospital of South Bend
Location: South Bend, Ind.
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
9. Northridge Hospital Medical Center
Location: Northridge, 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: 1
Website
10. OhioHealth Grant Medical Center
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: 3
Website
11. Piedmont Athens Regional
12. University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
Location: Towson, Md.
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
13. St. Cloud Hospital
Location: St. Cloud, 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: 10
Website
14. 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: 13
Website
15. 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: 4
Website
16. St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center
Location: Boise
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
17. Valley Health – Winchester Medical Center
Location: Winchester, 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: 3
Website
18. St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Location: Stockton, 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: 2
Website
19. Grand Strand Medical Center
20. Lee Memorial Hospital
Location: Fort Meyers, 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: 10
Website
50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals methodology
Correction, March 16, 2023: An earlier version of this list misstated the state in which CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs is located.
