ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease is a common cause of mortality and morbidity and is associated with high rates of hospital utilization; for example, one in every four heart failure patients must be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge.1 The Cardiovascular Service Line, one of nine major clinical service lines at BHCS, seeks to improve care for patients with cardiovascular illnesses. Since its beginnings as a small group of internists and surgeons in the mid-twentieth century, the service line has grown to include eight regional heart and vascular treatment centers and two specialty hospitals dedicated to providing STEEEP cardiovascular care. The service line’s core goals of clinical excellence, patient satisfaction, health care team satisfaction, and fiscal responsibility form the foundation of daily operations and metrics by which success is measured. Standardization of data collection, reporting methods,
and common care practices have been instrumental to continued quality improvement. The ongoing commitment, support, and engagement of physician and administrative leaders throughout BHCS have been an integral part of these successes.
