Comprehensive care makes a world of difference

Maybe you’re experiencing a cardiac rhythm disorder. Maybe you’re in need of a cardiac medical intervention. Surgery may even be in your future. The cardiac care facility you choose should be ready with comprehensive heart and vascular treatment that provides both inpatient and outpatient procedures.

What to look for in a cardiac care facility

The more you learn about your cardiac care, the more important the facility you choose becomes. Here are four factors that represent quality:

1. Experience

Significant experience in cardiac care is a distinct advantage. Typically that means a minimum of 200 open heart procedures, 200 angioplasty or stent procedures, and 125 cardiac resynchronization therapy implantation procedures (pacemakers and ICD) in the past 12 months.*

2. Standards

Performance is the best measure of success. A quality cardiac care facility meets evidence-based and recognized standards for clinical outcomes, processes of care and patient safety.

3. Support

The best cardiac treatment is complete from start to finish. Patients should expect ongoing follow-up programs and support well after their initial treatment.

4. Efficiency

It’s a simple rule of thumb: lower efficiency means higher cost of care. Comprehensive facilities that demonstrate efficiency with lower complication and readmission rates are the best bet.

Consider Aetna Institutes of Quality® Cardiac Care Facilities

Aetna Institutes of Quality (IOQ) is a network of facilities that have been specifically selected for meeting (and surpassing) all of these criteria. They also offer medical care for cardiac conditions that do not involve surgery or procedures.

Additional requirements for selection to the Network include:

• Daily rounds to cardiac patients in intensive care units.
• Appropriate referrals to structured smoking- cessation programs and cardiac rehabilitation programs at the facility or an appropriate facility.