Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care has achieved the highest possible three-star rating across multiple cardiac surgery categories, marking a major milestone in the continued growth and evolution of its cardiac surgery programs.
For the first time, Baptist Health has earned top ratings beyond coronary artery bypass grafting, commonly known as CABG, alone. The achievement reflects measurable progress in quality, outcomes and consistency across a broader range of complex cardiac procedures.
“This is really special for our entire team,” said Tom C. Nguyen, M.D., system chief executive, Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care; chief medical executive, Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute; director of minimally invasive surgery; Barry T. Katzen Endowed Chair, Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute; chair and professor, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. “We’ve always taken pride in earning three stars for CABG, which is a significant benchmark in cardiac surgery. To now see that level of recognition extend across multiple procedures reflects how closely our teams are working together across campuses to deliver consistent, high-quality care for every patient.”
The three-star rating is the highest possible designation and places these programs among the top-performing cardiac surgery centers nationally.
Baptist Health Baptist Hospital earned three-star ratings in the following categories:
CABG Overall: Coronary artery bypass grafting is a surgery that improves blood flow to the heart by bypassing blocked or narrowed coronary arteries.
MVRR Overall: Mitral valve repair and replacement includes procedures to repair or replace the mitral valve, which regulates blood flow between the heart’s left chambers.
Multi-Procedure Overall: This combined rating reflects outcomes across multiple types of cardiac surgeries, including complex and high-risk procedures.
Baptist Health South Miami Hospital earned three-star ratings in the following categories:
CABG: Coronary artery bypass grafting is a leading surgical treatment for coronary artery disease.
Multi-Procedure Overall: This comprehensive measure reflects performance across a range of cardiac surgeries and indicates consistent quality in diverse and complex cases.
In addition, Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute has been named a 2026 Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center, recognizing excellence in mitral valve repair.
Under Dr. Nguyen’s leadership, Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care continues to advance a world-class cardiovascular program built on innovation, collaboration and patient-centered care. While Baptist Health has previously earned three-star recognition for CABG a distinction widely regarded as a gold standard in cardiac surgery this expansion into additional categories highlights the maturation and strength of the overall program.
“Success is never about one person or one program, it’s about the entire team coming together around the patient,” Dr. Nguyen added. “From the operating room to the ICU to recovery, every step is connected. These results reflect a shared commitment across our hospitals to continuously improve and deliver the highest level of care.”
Dr. Nguyen emphasized that the milestone belongs to teams across all campuses.
“I’m incredibly grateful to our teams at Baptist Hospital and South Miami Hospital,” he said. “This kind of progress only happens when everyone, from surgeons and cardiologists to nurses and support staff, is aligned around a common goal: doing what’s best for the patient.”
For patients, these recognitions reflect access to experienced heart surgeons, advanced surgical techniques and consistently strong outcomes across Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care.