New Haven, CT (July 10, 2026)_ Yale New Haven Health Heart and Vascular Center is proud to announce that it has been named a recipient of the 2025 Larry Kraiss Quality Award, a prestigious recognition presented by the Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization (SVS-PSO) to hospitals and vascular programs that demonstrate exceptional commitment to improving patient outcomes through collaboration, research, and quality improvement.
The award, presented by the organization last month, honors the legacy of Dr. Larry Kraiss, a visionary leader in vascular surgery, and current medical director of the SVS-PSO, whose career was dedicated to advancing patient care through data-driven innovation and teamwork. Winners are selected based on sustained efforts of the center in quality improvement reflected in receiving the 3-star Commitment of Vascular Quality Improvement (CVQI) award for 8 consecutive years.
As a 2025 award recipient, Yale New Haven Health Heart and Vascular Center joins a distinguished group of institutions nationwide recognized for leadership in vascular care. The program will continue to leverage VQI data and best practices to enhance patient safety, reduce complications and improve long-term health outcomes. Yale New Haven Hospital is one of 13 hospitals nationally to receive this prestigious award this year.
“The Larry Kraiss Quality Award recognizes what matters most to us — improving the lives of our patients through exceptional, evidence-based vascular care,” said Cassius Iyad Ochoa Chaar, MD, MPH, director of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy at Yale New Haven Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, and associate professor of Vascular Surgery, Yale School of Medicine. “Our participation in the SVS Vascular Quality Initiative allows us to benchmark our performance, learn from colleagues across the country and continuously improve. Being one of only 13 hospitals nationally to receive this award reflects the extraordinary teamwork and dedication that define our vascular program.”
The award recognizes sustained excellence in vascular care, data-driven improvement, clinical collaboration and a long-term commitment to improving patient outcomes. Recipients are celebrated for their exceptional performance in key areas such as:
• Rigorous long-term patient follow-up
• Active participation in regional and national meetings
• Quality improvement initiatives based on VQI data
• Extensive participation in various vascular registries
“SVS VQI Commitment to Vascular Quality Improvement (CVQI) Awards Program centers such as Yale New Haven Hospital exemplify the dedication and collaboration needed to advance vascular care,” said Dr. Larry Kraiss, medical director. “Their commitment to consistent participation and high-quality data strengthens the VQI registries and enables meaningful research that drives improvement in patient outcomes. Measuring what we do—and learning from it—is essential to improving the care we provide to vascular patients.”
Operating under the Society for Vascular Surgery, the Vascular Quality Initiative is composed of 14 registries containing demographic, clinical, procedural and outcomes data from more than 1,000,000 vascular procedures performed nationwide and in Canada. The mission of VQI is to improve the quality, safety, effectiveness and cost of vascular healthcare.
Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org
