Lee Health’s HealthPark Medical Center Recognized as One of the Top 50 Hospitals for Heart Care in the U.S. for the 12th Time

Lee Health’s HealthPark Medical Center has again been named a top performing hospital in the 2025 PINC AI™ 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ study, joining some of the best hospitals in the country that provide top-tier heart care. This reporting cycle marks the 12th year that HealthPark Medical Center has earned the distinction.

Formerly known as the IBM Watson award, the PINC AI™ 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ represent the highest standard of cardiovascular care in the United States. Premier Inc. acquired the distinction from Merative, formally IBM Watson.

HealthPark Medical Center is one of only five hospitals in Florida and the only hospital in Southwest Florida to earn the designation.

“We are tremendously honored to be among the top 50 hospitals in the country for cardiovascular care for the 12th time,” said chief physician executive for the Lee Health Heart Institute Dr. Malissa Wood. “Our cardiovascular teams are committed to providing our Southwest Florida community and beyond with the highest standard of care and providing world-class care to our patients every day. We couldn’t be prouder to receive this award as we continuously work toward our goal of ensuring optimal heart health for all.”

Each year’s study reviews more than 900 U.S. hospitals with cardiovascular service lines. To create the list, an objective, quantitative analysis of publicly available data was conducted to identify the top cardiovascular hospitals. 

The primary purpose of the PINC AI™ 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ program is to inspire hospital and health system leaders to pursue a higher performance and deliver added value to patients and communities. Organizations do not apply to participate in the study and award winners do not pay to market their honor.

Award winners demonstrated significantly higher survival rates associated with cardiac care, with fewer readmissions and complications. 

“I see the dedication, skill, and compassion our team brings to every patient. Being recognized as one of the top 50 hospitals for heart care is a true testament to the unwavering commitment of our entire cardiovascular team,” said Melissa Gilliam, PA-C and Director of Advanced Practice Providers for the Lee Health Heart Institute. “This achievement fills me with pride, knowing that our efforts are making a real difference in the lives of those who trust us with their heart health.”

The 2025 PINC AI™ 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ provide higher quality clinical care and are more efficient than their peers. Compared to their peers, this year’s top performers had:

• 25 percent fewer acute myocardial infarction (AMI) deaths and 66 percent fewer coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) deaths
• 30 percent fewer percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and 19 percent fewer CABG patients with complications
• Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and CABG patients (0.4 to 1.2 percentage points higher)
• Lower 30-day readmission rates for AMI, HF and CABG patients (0.2 to 0.5 percentage points lower)
• Shorter average lengths of stay between patient groups – 0.5 for AMI, 0.4 for HF, 0.3 for PCI and one full day for CABG
• $1,386 to $6,974 less in total costs per patient case (the smallest dollar-amount difference was for HF and the largest was for CABG)
• A better patient experience at top performing hospitals compared to the remaining peer hospitals, with a top-box Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) score of 72 percent versus 68 percent

The PINC AI™ 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ program focuses on short-term, acute care, non-federal U.S. hospitals that treat a broad spectrum of cardiology patients. It includes patients requiring medical management, as well as those who receive invasive or surgical procedures. Because multiple measures are used, a hospital must provide all forms of cardiovascular care, including open heart surgery, to be included in the study.

The Lee Health Heart Institute is the largest heart program in Southwest Florida. Based at HealthPark Medical Center, it specializes in everything from primary and specialty care, advanced cardiac imaging, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac rehabilitation and more.

For more information about the Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals ratings program, visit PINC-AI.

To learn more about the Lee Health Heart Institute, visit www.leehealth.org.