Several hospitals in the region have been named as among the country's 100 Top Hospitals for cardiovascular care.

The 2007 Cardiovascular Benchmark for Success Study, commissed by Thomson Healthcare, examined the performance of nearly 1,000 U.S. hospitals in treating congestive heart failure and heart attacks.

Western Pennsylvania Hospital and UPMC Presbyterian are two of 30 teaching hospitals with cardiovascular residency programs named to the list. Others include the Cleveland Clinic, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston.

Among teaching hospitals without residencies on the list are St. Vincent Health Center, Erie, and St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown, Ohio. Butler Memorial Hospital is among the community hospitals on the list.

Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals programs in the Center for Healthcare improvement, Thomson Healthcare, said the hospitals on the list have set national benchmarks for clinical process, outcomes, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

To determine the award-winning hospitals, the study analyzed Medicare cost reports and Medicare Provider Analysis and Review data in examining patient outcomes and efficiency.

The study found that if all cardiovascular hospitals achieved the same results as the award winers, more than 7,000 lives would be saved and nearly 750 medical complications would be avoided annually.

The study examined performance in risk-adjusted mortality and complications, volume of procedures, and severity-adjusted average length of stay and cost.