Surgery program merits dual 3-star status
Medical Center faculty and staff often are recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for their academic or medical achievements. These accolades place UMMC among health science centers worldwide.
Rare rating reserved for top programs
For the first time in its history, the Adult Cardiac Surgery Program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center earned the prestigious 3-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons – and did so in two categories.
The program earned the highest possible rating for patient care and outcomes for Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery and for Multiprocedural Surgery, a distinction that places the program among the top cardiac surgery centers across the U.S. and Canada.
The STS star-rating system benchmarks surgical outcomes over a three-year period, said Dr. Ashok Kumar Coimbatore Jeyakumar, associate professor of surgery and surgical director of advanced coronary revascularization and complex thoracic aortic surgery.
“This is a landmark achievement that places UMMC among the nation’s most respected academic medical centers,” Jeyakumar said.
“Only 10 to 20% of programs nationwide achieve a 3-star rating in a single domain. Based on publicly available information, UMMC is the only program in Mississippi with dual 3-star recognition. This accomplishment underscores our mission to bring world-class cardiac care to the people of our state.”
Dr. Christopher Anderson, the James D. Hardy professor and chair of the Department of Surgery, noted the teamwork and dedication “that define UMMC’s surgical enterprise. The cardiac surgery team’s focus on excellence and patient-centered care continues to elevate our institution’s reputation for quality.”
Dr. Michael McMullan, professor of medicine and director of the Division of Cardiology, praised the surgery team’s expertise and commitment, which “have made a measurable difference in the quality of care we provide across the state. This recognition reinforces UMMC’s leadership as a destination for advanced cardiac surgery and highlights the strength of our mission to serve Mississippi through excellence in medicine.”