In-hospital patient mortality rates following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery dropped from 1.90 percent in 2005 to 1.77 percent in 2006, according to a new report released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). That is the lowest mortality rate for the cardiac procedure since PHC4 began publicly reporting on heart bypass surgery. The report also noted that patient readmission rates following CABG surgery fell between 2000 and 2006. During this time period, the 7-day and 30-day readmission rates dropped by 13.3 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively.
The report, titled Cardiac Surgery in Pennsylvania 2005-2006 includes information on approximately 34,000 CABG and/or valve surgeries performed in Pennsylvania hospitals in 2005 and 2006 involving four distinct cardiac surgical categories. The report provides information on the number of surgeries performed, in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates, 7-day and 30-day readmission rates, and post-surgical lengths of stay for both hospitals and surgeons. Aggregate statewide information about patients who contracted hospital-acquired infections during their 2006 hospitalization for CABG and/or valve surgery is also included.