Trinity Health System, a proud member of CommonSpirit Health, is thrilled to announce its designation as a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Center of Excellence. This prestigious recognition, awarded by CommonSpirit Health, distinguishes Trinity Health System as one of only three hospitals within the entire CommonSpirit Health system to achieve this elite status, signifying its commitment to delivering exceptionally high-quality, complex cardiac care.

The TAVR Center of Excellence designation underscores Trinity Health System’s dedication to optimal patient outcomes for individuals requiring TAVR procedures, a minimally invasive treatment for severe aortic stenosis. The comprehensive evaluation process for this recognition involved rigorous criteria, demonstrating Trinity Health System’s superior performance across critical domains.

“This recognition as a TAVR Center of Excellence is a testament to the unwavering commitment and exceptional skill of our entire cardiac team here at Trinity Health System,” said Kelly Bettem, Cardiovascular Service Line Director. “It validates the outstanding quality of care we provide to our patients, ensuring they receive the best possible outcomes for these complex procedures. We are incredibly proud to be recognized among the top facilities within CommonSpirit Health.”

To achieve this distinction, Trinity Health System met and exceeded stringent requirements based on national benchmarks, primarily from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry (NCDR TVT Registry) for calendar year 2024. Key areas of excellence include:

• Volume and Mortality: The team at Trinity Health System has extensive experience with the TAVR procedure, having performed over 200 of them to date, with 50 procedures in the past year This high volume of cases means our doctors are highly experienced. Our patient outcomes are also among the best in the nation, with patients experiencing better survival rates both while in the hospital and 30 days after the procedure.
• Quality Domain: We consistently meet or exceed national standards in key areas of patient This includes very low rates of serious complications such as stroke, kidney injury, and major bleeding. A significant number of our patients also report a good quality of life 30 days after their procedure. We also see very few issues with the new valve leaking (paravalvular leak [PVL]) and a low rate of patients needing a new pacemaker.
• Stewardship Domain: Our focus on patient well-being extends beyond the procedure itself. In many cases, we are able to use moderate sedation instead of general anesthesia, which makes for a faster and smoother As a result, a high number of our patients are able to go home directly after their procedure, and very few are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days.
• Patient Selection Domain: Every patient at Trinity Health System is carefully evaluated by a team of specialists before a TAVR procedure is recommended. This team, which includes cardiologists, heart surgeons, and imaging specialists, meets regularly to ensure the procedure is the best option for the They also consider a patient’s overall health and quality of life to ensure they can achieve a successful outcome.

“Being recognized as a TAVR Center of Excellence is a powerful validation of the integrated, patient-centered approach we take to cardiac care at Trinity Health System,” said Triston Smith, MD, Medical Director, Cardiovascular Service Line & Structural Heart Interventions, for Trinity Health System. “Our multidisciplinary team works seamlessly to ensure the highest standards of safety, efficacy, and compassionate care for every patient undergoing a TAVR procedure. This designation means our community can be confident that they are receiving world-class heart care right here in Steubenville.”

Trinity Health System is dedicated to continuing its legacy of excellence in cardiac care and further enhancing its services to meet the evolving needs of the community. This Center of Excellence recognition reinforces the hospital’s position as a leader in advanced cardiac interventions.