Commitment To Quality
A Center of Excellence
Centers of Excellence are preferred institutions of heart care in Minnesota. Their providers deliver quality patient care, superior outcomes and the finest operational performance. Another measurable attribute of a Center of Excellence is a large patient volume with the belief that the more you do, the better you become at diagnosing and treating heart disease.
Quality "Counts" at St. Paul Heart Clinic 2009
High Quality - High Volume
| Annually Provide Care to |
72,353 |
| Ablations (AF) |
129 |
| Ablations (SVT) |
346 |
| Coronary Calcium Score |
345 |
| CT Angiography |
1,266 |
| Echocardiography |
11,366 |
| Echocardiography Interpreted |
20,348 |
| Stress Echoes |
3,700 |
| EECP |
468 |
| EP Studies |
363 |
| EKGs Interpreted |
44,421 |
| Holter Monitors Interpreted |
4,825 |
| ICD (Implants, leads) |
439 |
| MRI |
1,692 |
| Nuclear Studies |
4,293 |
| Nuclear Studies Interpreted |
8,119 |
| PCI (Stents/Angioplasties) |
1,222 |
| PV Interventions |
159 |
| Tissue Doppler Interpreted |
914 |
A Culture of Quality – Extraordinary Heart Care
St. Paul Heart Clinic is rated #1 in vascular care for 2009.
Minnesota HealthScores is a product of MN Community Measurement with a mission to improve health by publicly reporting health care information. Quality data is provided to Minnesota HealthScores by Minnesota health plans and submitted directly by more than 300 medical clinics statewide.
The best care for vascular disease includes meeting 4 goals. The reported measure shows the percentage of patients, age 18 – 75, who met all 4 goals:
- Maintain blood pressure less than 130/80
- Lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol to less than 100mg/dl
- Don’t smoke
- Take an aspirin daily
In 2009, 65 medical groups reported their quality data for vascular disease. The average percentage score was 34% who met all 4 goals.
St. Paul Heart Clinic’s ranking was #1 among the 65 reporting clinics with a score of 52%.
A Culture of Quality – Extraordinary Heart Care 
The St. Paul Heart Clinic nuclear imaging laboratory was the first nuclear laboratory in Minnesota to be granted accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL). A complex imaging technique, nuclear cardiology testing relies on the experience and training of both physicians and technologists. The ICANL provides a peer review mechanism to encourage and recognize the provision of quality nuclear cardiology evaluations by a process of voluntary accreditation. St. Paul Heart Clinic has maintained ICANL accreditation since 1999.
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The St. Paul Heart Clinic echocardiography lab was one of the first five echocardiography laboratories in the United States to be granted accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL). Echocardiography is a complex imaging technique that relies on the experience and training of both physicians and sonographers. The ICAEL has developed an accreditation program which evaluates the quality and other critical elements of an echocardiography laboratory. St. Paul Heart Clinic has maintained ICAEL accreditation since 1998.
A Culture of Quality - Extraordinary Heart Care
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota identified St. Paul Heart Clinic in Minnesota as a “Top Performer in the Experiencing Excellence Program” for the following:
- Acute Heart Attack – 2004, 2006
- Atrial Fibrillation – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- Tobacco Cessation – 2004, 2005, 2006
- Generic Drug Utilization – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- Heart Failure – 2006, 2007
*Programs discontinued in 2007
A Culture of Quality - Extraordinary Heart Care
HealthPartners recognized St. Paul Heart Clinic in 2004 and 2005 for being the only group to initiate Service Agreements between specialists and primary care for heart failure.
HealthPartners identified St. Paul Heart Clinic in Minnesota as one of their “Partners in Excellence for Heart Failure Efforts” in 2006 and 2007.
HealthPartners also recognized St. Paul Heart Clinic in 2006 for its role in the development of CT angiography appropriateness criteria.
A Culture of Quality - Extraordinary Heart Care
St. Paul Heart Clinic’s role in developing and implementing the Level One Heart Attack Program made us a finalist for Medica’s “Raising the Bar: Rewarding Care Delivery Innovation” award in 2008.
St. Paul Heart Clinic led Level One Heart Attack Program has achieved regional excellence and national recognition by consistently ranking in the top 10% of all hospitals in the United States for door-to-balloon time.
A Culture of Quality - Extraordinary Heart Care
Buyers Health Care Action Group (BHCAG) along with Champion of Change Employers 3M, Carlson Companies, General Electric, Medtronic, State of Minnesota Department of Employee Relations, Resource Training & Solutions and Target Corporation congratulated St. Paul Heart Clinic in Minnesota for being a “Top Provider in Optimal Cardiovascular Care” in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
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