Elite U.S. heart bypass honor earned by Chippenham Hospital for the fourth year in a row

Chippenham Hospital has for a fourth consecutive time been recognized as the Richmond-area’s leading cardiac care provider, earning the highest possible 3-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for patient care and outcomes in bypass surgery.

The 3-star rating in the category of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures, also known as bypass surgery, is only awarded to approximately 20% of survey participants, places the hospital among the elite for heart bypass surgery in the U.S. and Canada. The latest analysis of data for bypass surgery covers a three-year period ending in June 2025.

“This fourth consecutive recognition from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons underscores our commitment to surgical excellence and superior patient outcomes,” said Lance Jones, chief executive office for Chippenham Hospital. “This significant achievement is only possible thanks to the entire cardiac surgery team’s commitment to providing world-class, compassionate patient care."

The STS is a non-profit organization representing cardiac professionals worldwide to help ensure the best possible outcomes in heart, lung, esophagus and other surgical procedures in the chest.

The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in healthcare, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs. The star rating is calculated using a combination of quality measures for specific procedures performed by an STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participant.

Bypass surgery is used to treat coronary artery disease and improves blood flow to the heart. During the procedure, a healthy artery or vein is taken from another part of the body and joined, or grafted, to the obstructed coronary artery. The grafted artery or vein bypasses the blocked portion of the coronary artery, allowing the new channel to detour oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.