
Heart Center Volumes & Outcomes
Volumes identify the number of procedures a hospital has performed and is a good indication of healthcare experience. Outcomes combine various factors to evaluate the clinical success of a hospital's healthcare practices. In fact, the two are closely related: numerous research studies have demonstrated that larger volumes generally lead to better outcomes.
Volumes & Outcomes Data
We have performed more pediatric heart transplants since 1988 than any other healthcare provider in Illinois. Our first-year survival rate for heart transplant patients, more than 98%, exceeds the national average of 93%.
Lurie Children’s Division of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery participates in public reporting of our outcomes as posted on the Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ (STS) website. STS updates outcomes data for congenital heart surgery only once yearly, after the Spring data analysis is completed. In the last published Fall 2020 Harvest Report of the STS Congenital Cardiac Surgery Database, Lurie Children’s overall observed-to-expected ratio (O/E) for the 4-year reporting period July 2016-June 2020 was 0.82 with an adjusted mortality rate of 2.18%, compared with 2.67%, the STS aggregated centers’ adjusted mortality rate. The lower than expected mortality is the result of the outstanding teamwork and collaboration of Lurie Children’s Heart Center.
The graphs below display our most recent set of volumes and outcomes data.
Cardiac Surgery
Our Heart Center boasts an exceptionally high cardiac surgery case volume, performing almost 500 procedures per year on average, and consistently ranks among the top programs in the country. We have been reporting cardiac surgery volumes and outcomes to STS since 2004, a reflection of our transparency and significant involvement in the field. Please see the figures below for an overview of our cardiac surgery program’s capability and experience.
FIGURE ONE: We performed an average of 469 cardiac surgeries (including cardiopulmonary bypass and non-cardiopulmonary bypass cases) each year from 2020-2024, illustrating our center’s extensive experience.