Cleveland Clinic Affiliates with Novant Health to Collaborate on Cardiac Care

Cleveland Clinic Affiliates with Novant Health to Collaborate on Cardiac Care

Affiliation will further enhance Novant's top-notch heart programs

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Novant Health's two largest hospitals, Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, NC, and Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC, will affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic to deliver world-class cardiovascular services locally. This affiliation will combine the unparalleled research and expertise of Cleveland Clinic's heart program with Novant's cardiovascular programs to provide the highest-quality, most comprehensive patient care across the Carolinas. This relationship will include the spectrum of heart care from prevention, medical cardiology to cardiovascular surgery. This means when patients across the Carolinas are diagnosed with heart disease, our clinical teams will have access to opportunities to provide new treatments and therapies to patients, as well as accelerated access to Cleveland Clinic's cardiac care, explained Paul Wiles, president and chief executive officer of Novant Health. That team will work together to design custom treatment plans for patients allowing them to stay in their community for care. "We already have excellent surgeons, cardiologists and nurses who have developed top-quality cardiac programs," said Wiles. "Affiliating with Cleveland Clinic's world-renowned program and specialists will allow us to advance our programs to a level traditionally found only at a handful of facilities around the world," he added. Cleveland Clinic will work with our clinical teams to give patients access to the most advanced research, programs, technologies and clinical techniques. Our surgeons will participate in training, conferences and educational programs provided by the nation's number one ranked heart program. And our physicians will regularly collaborate with their colleagues at Cleveland Clinic and have access to emerging technology and procedures being evaluated at Cleveland Clinic. In 2011, Cleveland Clinic's Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute was rated No. 1 in the nation for heart care by US News & World Report for the 17th consecutive year. Novant's cardiac programs rank in the top 10 percent in the nation for cardiac care with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) quality comparisons. And our programs and Forsyth and Presbyterian also earned a prestigious three-star rating from the Society fo Thoracic Surgeons, which is the highest quality or cardiac surgical care achieved by less than 12 percent of cardiac surgery hospitals in the United States. "This affiliation will allow Novant Health and Cleveland Clinic to accelerate advancements in cardiac care in the Carolinas and beyond," said Bruce Lytle, M.D., chairman of the Cleveland Clinic's Heart and Vascular Institute. "Treating patients with cardiovascular disease is complex, but new techniques and technologies are always emerging. Our affiliation will help us deliver these new innovations to patients more quickly," added Lytle. Our cardiologists and surgeons are integral to the success of the program and will work closely with Cleveland Clinic experts. "Our surgical outcomes are among the best in the country," said Joel Morgan, M.D., cardiac surgeon and chief of surgery, Forsyth Medical Center. "However, cardiac care is continually evolving and we are excited to work with the best in the country to ensure we are at the forefront of that evolution for our patient," he added. "Presbyterian has a long tradition of providing cardiac care of the highest caliber for this community," said Russ Bailey, M.D., president, Mid Carolina Cardiology Charlotte. "We look forward to continuing to provide unsurpassed cardiac care to this community, and to a relationship with the Cleveland Clinic that will further enhance that care," Bailey added.

# # #

About Cleveland Clinic
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. It was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "American's Best Hospitals" survey. About 2,800 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 11,000 nurses represent 120 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic Health System includes a main campus near downtown Cleveland, nine community hospitals and 15 Family Health Centers in Northeast Ohio, Cleveland Clinic Florida, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Cleveland Clinic Canada, and opening in 2013, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In 2010, there were 4 million visits throughout the Cleveland Clinic health system and 155,000 hospital admissions. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 100 countries. Visit us at www.clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at www.twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. About Presbyterian's Cardiovascular Institute
Presbyterian's Cardiovascular Institute combines leading-edge cardiovascular research and treatments with community health and wellness education, patient education, support programs and rehabilitation services to care for patients with heart and vascular disease. About Forsyth's Cardiac and Vascular Center
Forsyth's Cardiac and Vascualr Center combines leading-edge cardiovascular research and treatments with community health and wellness education, patient education, support programs and rehabilitation services to care for patients with heart and vascular disease. In 2010, Forsyth Medical Center was recognized by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons with the Society's 3-Star rating -- representing the highest-quality of cardiac care. Less than 12 percent of all cardiac hospitals nationwide received this top ranking for consistently providing the best surgical outcomes. Visit www.forsythmedicalcenter.org. About Novant Health
Novant Health is a not-for-profit, integrated health system of 12 hospitals and a medical group consisting of 1,117 physicians in 359 clinic locations, caring for patients and communities in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia. Other Novant facilities and programs include outpatient surgery centers, medical plazas, rehabilitation programs, diagnostic imaging centers and community health outreach programs. Novant Health is ranked 14th nationally among the 2011 Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks, according to an analysis by the SDI health informatics company.