Independence Health System Thoracic Surgery Earns Prestigious National Distinction for Quality

GREENSBURG, PA, March 11, 2025 … Independence Health System (IHS) today announced that the thoracic surgical group of Independence Health System Latrobe Hospital has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its 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 IHS-Latrobe Hospital thoracic surgical group is the only program in Pennsylvania to receive three stars during the reporting period.

The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs in the United States and Canada.

Nationwide, only 27.4 percent of individuals with lung cancer are diagnosed at an early stage, according to the American Lung Association. Independence Health System’s Advanced Lung Center diagnoses lung cancer at an early stage rate of 66 percent — significantly higher than the national average.

“Independence Health System’s thoracic surgery group at Latrobe Hospital is honored to have earned this distinction and thanks STS for its commitment to patient care. This accolade recognizes IHS in the same category as major area healthcare competitors,” said Dr. Szwerc, MD, medical director of the ALC and chairman, Committee on Cancer, IHS. “Lung cancer is a terrible disease to have. But through early detection, we have saved thousands of lives, and we are proud to serve our community through thorough, comprehensive care and positive surgical outcomes.”

STS General Thoracic Surgery Public Reporting offers a comparison of General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) and national outcomes, demonstrating the high performance of GTSD participants. The latest analysis of data for lung cancer resection covers a 3-year period. From July 2021 to June 2024 there were 196 index lung resections for cancer performed at Latrobe Hospital.

“The Society of Thoracic Surgeons congratulates STS National Database participants who have received three-star ratings,” said David M. Shahian, MD, chair of the Task Force on Quality Measurement. “Participation in the Database and public reporting demonstrates a commitment to quality improvement in health care delivery and provides patients and their families with meaningful information to help them make informed decisions about health care.”

The STS National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety among cardiothoracic surgeons. The Database includes four components: the Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD), the Congenital Heart Surgery Database (CHSD), the GTSD, and the mechanical circulatory support database (Intermacs). The GTSD—the largest and most robust clinical thoracic surgical database in the United States and Canada—contains more than 800,000 general thoracic surgery procedure records and has more than 900 participating physicians. Over 60% of GTSD participants are currently enrolled in public reporting. The GTSD star ratings are derived by testing whether the participant's composite or domain score is significantly different from the overall STS average for primary lung cancer resections performed by GTSD participants.

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Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925. With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and 7,300 employees, the System is the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning more than 10 counties.

The System includes tertiary programs rated among America’s best for cardiac care and surgery, earning accolades from a number of prestigious outlets and organizations. Locally owned and locally controlled, Independence Health System offers its patients low-cost, high-quality care across the care spectrum in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, women’s health and obstetrics, emergency medicine, behavioral health and primary care. Its network of outpatient centers sees more than 1.2 million visits annually.

The homecare division further supports patients at all stages of life with home health and hospice services. Learn more at www.independence.health

About STS Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,700 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied healthcare professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.