Independence Health System Lung Cancer Program Continues Prestigious National Recognition for Quality

Latrobe Bulletin: The thoracic surgical group of Independence Health System-Westmoreland Area has once again earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for patient care and lung cancer resection outcomes. The three-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places the program among the elite for general thoracic surgery in the United States and Canada.

The current honor is based on quality outcomes when performing pulmonary resection for primary lung cancer. The Independence Health System program is one of only 24 of the 220 participating sites to receive three stars. This recognition represents a new cohort for STS, and is not yet publicly available. The health system’s thoracic surgeons are also rated in the areas of lobectomy and esophagectomy and perform as expected in these areas when compared to peer organizations, with each carrying a two-star rating. The GTSD Composite Quality Ratings are based on a three-year analytic period. The most recent analysis includes surgery dates from January 2021 through December 2023. STS analyzes and assigns star ratings for three-year periods every six months.

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