Northeast Georgia Medical Center has been recognized as the top hospital in Georgia for overall cardiac care and among the top 5 percent in the nation for the fifth consecutive year in a national report.

The HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study rated Northeast Georgia Medical Center as one of only six hospitals in the nation to rank No. 1 in all four categories graded: overall cardiac services, cardiac surgery, nonsurgical cardiology services and coronary interventional procedures

The study also found NGMC is five-star rated for coronary bypass surgery, valve replacement surgery, coronary interventional procedures, treatment of heart attacks and treatment of heart failure.

"Everyone involved with cardiac care at NGMC takes his or her responsibility very seriously, and we pride ourselves on raising our standards each year," said Dr. J. Jeffrey Marshall, an interventional cardiologist with Northeast Georgia Heart Center and medical director of Cardiac Cath Labs at NGMC.

The 12th annual study also found patients admitted to the nation’s top performing (five-star rated) hospitals, such as NGMC, are about 52 percent less likely to die compared to the national hospital average.

"The findings of the study released today are the direct result of the hard work and dogged consistency of our cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists and Heart & Vascular Services clinical and support staff," says Jim Gardner, NGMC President and CEO. "Claiming the No. 1 ranking in the state for the fifth year in a row solidifies the fact that people don’t need to drive to Atlanta to receive high-quality cardiac care and exemplifies our goal of providing exceptional health care, close to home."

More information about today’s HealthGrades study can be found at www.healthgrades.com.