For the fourth year in a row, Northeast Georgia Medical Center has been ranked No. 1 in Georgia and among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation for cardiac care.

The rankings come from the annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study. HealthGrades, an independent research group that evaluates health care facilities, bases its findings on outcome data from Medicare hospitalizations.

This year, Northeast Georgia Medical Center again was ranked No. 1 for overall cardiac services, cardiac surgery, cardiology and coronary interventional procedures such as angioplasty.

In addition, the medical center received five-star ratings for coronary bypass surgery, valve replacement surgery, coronary interventional procedures and treatment of heart attacks and heart failure.

A five-star rating indicates a low level of complications and mortality.

The Gainesville hospital provides cardiac care at its Ronnie Green Heart Center, which opened in 2002.