As American Heart Month comes to a close, I want to show some extra love to the UVA Health team members who go above and beyond to care for our patients’ hearts. Patients from around the world trust our cardiologists, heart and vascular surgeons, and entire care team with their cardiovascular health — and we would not be a leading heart and vascular center without their incredible skills and dedication.
UVA Health’s long list of awards and recognitions for heart and vascular care proves our teams’ impressive commitment to strengthening our foundation by providing superior quality, patient safety and outcomes. We received the highest possible score from the 2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings in patient outcomes and experience for aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure care and heart attack care. We are also nationally recognized by the Blue Distinction Center (BDC+), the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Heart Association. Among all these awards, I am most proud of how our team members use their expertise to find new ways to personalize care for our patients.
One of UVA Health’s latest initiatives, the Women’s Heart Health Program kicked off last August and has already introduced three dedicated clinics to reduce social barriers to heart care for women. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the program provides superior quality care for women across their lifespans while making their patient experience seamless and accessible. The program’s director, Dr. Patricia Rodriguez-Lozano, a clinician-scientist and cardiologist, first started the program because she recognized the need for specialized cardiovascular care for women through her research. We are lucky to have so many exceptional team members within our Academic Health System who are committed to combining study and practice to provide the best care possible to our patients.
Each of us only has one heart; we are grateful to our team members who provide our patients with the personalized care they need to keep the hearts of our community beating strong. American Heart Month may have come and gone, but we will never stop dedicating our expertise, energy and passion to provide superior quality, patient safety and outcomes for our community.
To everyone at UVA Health who works day in and day out to strengthen our foundation by improving patient care, thank you for your tireless devotion to our mission. You are the heart of UVA Health.
Take care and be well,
Wendy