Why YNHH?

Experience counts

When it comes to treating cardiovascular disease, experience counts. Studies show that hospitals that treat a high number of patients for cardiovascular disease and perform large numbers of procedures and surgeries have better results. Be sure to ask health care providers how much care they provide in the area in which you're interested.

General guidelines
Professional organizations provide general guidelines about volume recommendations:

• A task force of the American Heart Association, American College of Physicians and the American College of Cardiology recommends a hospital perform a minimum of 200 balloon angioplasties per year.
• The Report of the Inter-Society Commission for Heart Disease Resources suggests a catheterization lab perform at least 300 procedures each year.
• The American College of Surgeons guideline for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is 150 open heart operations annually.

A reputation for innovation

Hospitals with a reputation for innovation in cardiology often attract the most highly skilled professionals and provide the most comprehensive services. When making decisions about healthcare providers, find out about their track record as pioneers in heart disease.

Yale-New Haven physicians have been leaders in developing new cardiac diagnostic tools and treatments to help both adults and children with heart disease.

Milestones in cardiac medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital:

• William Glenn, MD, and William Sewell, MD, created the first working heart-lung machine in 1949. The device, which was built from an erector set, is part of the Smithsonian's permanent collection.
• Surgeons at Yale-New Haven Hospital performed the first open heart surgery in Connecticut in 1956.
• Obstetricians at YNHH were the first to monitor fetal heartbeats in 1957.
• Surgeons at YNHH performed the first heart transplant operation in Connecticut in 1984.
• The world's first fetal cardiovascular center opened at YNHH in 1985.
• Surgeons at YNHH performed the first heart-lung transplant operation in New England in 1988.
• The first successful heart transplant from an unmatched donor was performed at YNHH in 1992.
• The first Battista Heart Reduction surgery in Connecticut was performed at YNHH in 1996.
• The first documented heart transplants of adult twins were performed at YNHH, one in 1995 and one in 1997.
  

Resources: specialists, facilities, technology

Yale-New Haven Hospital offers a wide range of services with healthcare professionals experienced in treating complex conditions and unusual complications.

At Yale-New Haven, specialists in all areas of cardiovascular disease, including cardiology, interventional radiology, electrophysiology, cardiothoracic surgery and critical care nursing, work together to ensure patients receive the benefit of comprehensive treatment.

That expertise is enriched by a very personal regard and concern for each patient. Heart disease is not only medically complex, it is also emotionally trying for patients and their loved ones. At Yale-New Haven, patients are supported by caregivers, so a stressful experience can have the best outcome, both medically and emotionally.

Diagnostic and treatment resources
Yale-New Haven Hospital offers a comprehensive range of diagnostic and treatment options for heart disease.

Resources for specialized inpatient care:

• 20-bed coronary care unit
• 14-bed medical intensive care unit
• 50-bed medical cardiology stepdown unit
• 18-bed cardio-thoracic ICU
• 25-bed cardio-thoracic surgical stepdown unit
• 5 designated cardiac operating rooms

Diagnostic facilities

• 3 adult catheterization laboratories
• 1 pediatric catheterization laboratory
• Electrophysiology laboratory
• Nuclear cardiology laboratory
• Echocardiograph laboratory
• Chest Pain Center

Patient satisfaction

When it comes to measuring quality, high marks for patient satisfaction are among the most important considerations. Although the recommendations of neighbors and friends are helpful, they may reflect too heavily on an individual experience during one stay. A more accurate measure of patient satisfaction is survey information. Data reflecting the experiences of many people over time is more likely to be an accurate prediction of what your experience will be like.

Since patient satisfaction may vary among patient units, ask specifically how cardiac care units were rated by previous patients on factors important to you such as cleanliness and personal attention.

Yale-New Haven has been surveying patients for many years and has extensive information on how individual care units rate on 10 factors patients identify as important: teamwork, coordination, courtesy, understanding/sensitivity, communication, responsiveness, confidence in caregivers, cleanliness, amenities and overall satisfaction.

Cardiac care units score high
Cardiac care units consistently rate among the highest in the hospital. Twice a year, awards are presented to units that excel in the eyes of the people who know best, the patients. Two cardiac patient care units consistently score over 90% in confidence in caregivers and perform exceptionally well on overall satisfaction and understanding/sensitivity.

Patient representatives are there for you
Another patient satisfaction indicator is the presence of full-time professional patient representatives whose primary function is to help resolve concerns or issues patients may have during their stay.

YNHH has patient representatives who are extensions of your patient care team. They serve as patient advocates and help to resolve problems quickly and sensitively.

Patients may call the Yale-New Haven Patient Assistance Line at (203) 688-2333 to talk with their patient representative at any time.

Research and teaching

Yale-New Haven is the primary teaching hospital for the Yale University School of Medicine. Some of medicine's brightest minds in heart disease diagnosis and treatment use decades of experience to treat patients and supervise the advanced training of doctors. How does this benefit you? In many ways.

Teaching and learning spark better solutions to the complexities of heart disease. Each year a small percentage of graduates from some of the best medical schools in the world are invited to join the house staff at Yale-New Haven. These doctors are available around the clock, enhancing the care provided by the hospital's experienced team of cardiac nurses and allied health professionals. Yale-New Haven employs nearly 2,000 registered nurses, some of whom have advanced degrees and training in specialties such as critical cardiac care and patient education.

Research is an additional component of a world-class cardiac services program. Yale research often makes the latest treatments and technology available to Yale-New Haven patients before they're available elsewhere. Yale-New Haven is a regular participant in cardiac clinical trials.

Additional resources:

• Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale School of Medicine
• Cardiothoracic Surgery, Yale School of Medicine
• Yale School of Medicine home page