Top recognition for lung cancer surgery earned by HCA Florida Blake Hospital
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons awarded a three-star rating, a highly regarded measure of quality, for the lung cancer resection procedure.
Bradenton, FL — HCA Florida Blake Hospital is proud to announce it has received a prestigious three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its exceptional patient care and lung cancer resection outcomes. This top rating places HCA Florida Blake Hospital among the leading institutions for general thoracic surgery in the United States and Canada.
Lung cancer resection surgery is a procedure performed to remove a portion of the lung affected by cancer. The primary goal of this surgery is to remove the tumor and any surrounding tissue that may be affected, helping to eliminate the cancer from the body or to control its spread.
The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs in the United States and Canada. The ratings are based on comprehensive data analysis from the General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) and highlight hospitals that significantly outperform the STS average in lung cancer resection procedures.
“We are honored to receive recognition from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons,” said Steve Young, CEO of HCA Florida Blake Hospital. “This three-star rating is a testament to the dedication and expertise of Dr. Robert Ferguson and our surgical team’s commitment to providing the highest level of care to our patients.”
The latest analysis by the STS covers a three-year period from January 2021 to December 2023. The STS star rating system is renowned for its rigorous evaluation and is a trusted benchmark for quality in cardiothoracic surgery across the U.S. and Canada.
Dr. Robert Ferguson, director of thoracic surgery and lung cancer in HCA Healthcare’s south market and medical director of oncology at HCA Florida Blake Hospital, remarked, “This rating underscores our pursuit of excellence in surgical care. Every day, we strive to provide innovative, life-saving care. Our patients can be confident they are receiving the best possible treatment for lung cancer right here in Bradenton.”
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) is a not-for-profit organization that represents more than 7,300 surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The STS National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety among cardiothoracic surgeons.
“The Society of Thoracic Surgeons congratulates STS National Database participants who have received three-star ratings,” said David M. Shahian, MD, chair of the Task Force on Quality Measurement. “Participation in the Database and public reporting demonstrates a commitment to quality improvement in health care delivery and provides patients and their families with meaningful information to help them make informed decisions about healthcare.”