University Hospital gets excellence award


USC University Hospital was ranked among the top one percent of hospitals in the country that perform heart transplants by an independent health care ratings organization, Monday.

The hospital received a Heart Transplant Excellence Award from HealthGrades, a health care ratings organization, which means the hospital has a significantly higher three-year survival rate than the national average and a waitlist mortality rate lower or not significantly different than the standard.

This was the first time HealthGrades identified the top-rated hospitals for organ transplantation including, liver, kidney, heart or lung, based on patient outcome.

Of the 141 hospitals reviewed for the same category, USC University Hospital was one of two hospitals to receive the award and the only hospital in Southern California to be included in the ratings.