When arteries leading to the heart become blocked, the blood supply is slowed or stopped, preventing oxygen from reaching vital organs including the heart and brain. Often blockages can be removed and blood flow restored through non-surgical means such as stenting, but not for all patients.  

Cardiac surgery is performed when major valves or arteries must be repaired surgically, or when doctors must create a bypass around a major artery in order to restore blood flow to the heart. 

Outlined below are heart surgery outcome of care measurements, why they are important, and how Riverside performed when compared to US national results. 

• Readmission to a hospital for any reason, within 30 days following surgery
• Mortality, for any cause, within 30 days of heart surgery

What Is Measured
The rate of readmission to a hospital reflects whether patients were re-hospitalized within 30 days of heart surgery, for any reason related or unrelated to the surgery. The chart above compares how Riverside performs when compared to the US National readmission rate.

Why It's Important
Post discharge care and instructions, when followed, are important factors in helping patients avoid readmission to the hospital for complications related to heart surgery.

What is Measured
The 30 day mortality "outcome to expected" measure above (bar graph on left) reflects whether the number of patients who died within 30 days following surgery was below, equal to or higher than those expected to die based on associated risk factors. (A below "1" result is best, meaning less patients than expected, died.)

"30-Day Mortality" measures the percent of patients who die for any reason, within 30 days following heart surgery. The chart above compares how Riverside performs when compared to the US National rate.

Why It's Important
Post heart surgical care and appropriate discharge instructions, when followed, are important factors in helping patients avoid heart surgery complications or death. 

What is Measured
"30-Day Mortality" measures the percent of patients who die for any reason, within 30 days following heart bypass surgery. The chart above (right hand bar graph) shows how Riverside performs when compared to the US National rate.