St. Joseph’s Health Continues to Attract Top Cardiac Surgeons

Syracuse, NY (August 22, 2017) – The St. Joseph’s Health cardiac team continues to grow, with the addition of cardiac surgeons Dr. Charles Lutz, Dr. Zhandong Zhou and Dr. Ahmad Nazem joining Dr. Mehdi Marvasti as the cardiac surgeons of St. Joseph's Physicians. They join the extensive network of more than 30 employed and affiliated cardiologists with St. Joseph’s Health.

“The continued growth of cardiac surgeons formally joining St. Joseph’s Physicians and thus becoming part of the St. Joseph’s integrated network speaks volumes about St. Joseph’s delivering the highest level of cardiac care in the region,” said Leslie Paul Luke, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health. “Our comprehensive team approach provides our patients with access to the best care and the latest innovations in interventional and non-invasive treatment options for heart disease. That’s what makes St. Joseph’s Health one of the top 15 heart surgery centers in the U.S.”

“Our exceptionally dedicated St. Joseph’s cardiac surgery team is nationally recognized for clinical excellence,” said Dr. Lutz, Medical Director, Cardiac Surgery at St. Joseph’s Health. “Our status as the preferred provider of cardiac surgery in the region reflects our commitment to the highest standards of patient safety and quality. We are confident patients will continue to choose St. Joseph’s Health for their cardiac surgical care.”

St. Joseph’s Health has the most awarded cardiovascular care program in the region – with nearly a dozen different accreditations, certifications, and recognitions for cardiovascular care – and has been the first to bring several new cardiovascular procedures to Central New York. In fact, St. Joseph’s performed the first open heart surgery in Central New York 1958, and was the third center in the United States to perform angioplasty.

St. Joseph’s is the only hospital in CNY to have earned:

1. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac Care

2. Consumer Reports top 15 heart surgery centers in the U.S.

3. U.S. News & World Report #9 hospital in New York, and Top 100 in the U.S. for heart surgery

4. Becker’s 100 Hospitals with Great Heart Programs

5. Number 1 hospital for vascular surgery in New York State, and among the top five percent in the nation by HealthGrades® for vascular surgery, with 5 Star Rating for Valve Replacement Surgery

6. Chest Pain with PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation from Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care

7. Heart Failure Accreditation from Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care

8. ACE Accreditation for Cardiac Catheterization from Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence

9. Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation re-certification

10. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses “Gold level” Beacon Award for excellence in critical care nursing for the Surgical Intensive Care Unit

11. And the only Magnet-designated hospital in the region

For more information, visit www.sjhsyr.org/cardiac.

About St. Joseph’s Health

St. Joseph’s Health is a non-profit regional health care system based in Syracuse, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York and northern Pennsylvania. From primary to specialty to home care, to our Magnet-recognized hospital, and in collaboration with our community partners, St. Joseph's Health is advancing the health of the communities we serve through an expanding range of healthcare services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. Ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital” and a 15-time winner of the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice award, St. Joseph’s is widely recognized for quality, value and delivering the highest patient satisfaction. St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with Franciscan Companies and St. Joseph’s Physicians and is a member of Trinity Health.

###