When deciding upon a facility or healthcare professional for cardiac services, UnitedHealthcare's enrollees will now have the ability to access information about Kaleida Health including facility information, participating physicians, and its membership in national quality databases.

Kaleida Health's cardiac program is the busiest in Western New York, handling nearly 75% of all surgeries in the region.

"We are pleased that our partners in health care are recognizing the important quality initiatives that have taken place at Kaleida," said Cynthia Ambres, M.D., chief medical officer for Kaleida. "We have strived to provide strong leadership and a standard of care for cardiac and cardiothoracic care that is unmatched in Western New York."

The Center of Excellence designation is a milestone for Richard Brodman, M.D., Kaleida Health's chief of cardiothoracic surgery. A practicing surgeon for 25 years, he was recruited to come to Kaleida Health in February 2003.

Prior to his arrival in Buffalo, he was a member of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and an attending cardiothoracic surgeon at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

At Kaleida Health, Dr. Brodman leads the effort to improve quality and efficiency in cardiac care services.

"It is no secret that our quality of care has been lifted since Dr. Brodman's arrival," said Dr. Ambres. "His leadership model facilitates consensus building and information sharing, which in turn, makes it easier to implement best practices."

Dr. Brodman oversees the entire group of cardiac surgeons who operate at Kaleida Health. In addition, he has been scrubbing with surgeons, observing them and assisting during some procedures.

"I have enjoyed working at Kaleida Health and serving the Western New York area," said Dr. Brodman. "The substantial improvements in the quality of cardiothoracic surgical care we have made thus far have been achieved by the hard, careful, and collaborative work, not only by me, but by other surgeons and the dedicated nurses and perioperative staff of Kaleida, all aided by the support of Kaleida's executive and administrative leadership."

His mortality rate for coronary bypass surgery, the primary measurement of quality issued by New York State Health Department, has been excellent.

From the three-year period from 1997 to 1999, Dr. Brodman had a rate of 1.02 deaths per 100 cases. Mortality rates in Buffalo during the same time ranged from 1.85 to 5.56 deaths per 100 cases.

Just as remarkable, Dr. Brodman recorded a zero mortality rate for 2003.

Dr. Brodman added, "Many challenges lie ahead but I know that working together to provide the best quality of care to our patients at Kaleida we can continue to serve our community. I look forward to helping the people of Buffalo."

Dr. Brodman has published extensively and is considered an expert in the use of radial artery conduits for coronary bypass surgery. Arterial grafts are more durable than vein grafts taken from the lower extremities have a survival benefit for patients.

United Healthcare serves more than 20.2 million individual customers nationally. They provide access to high quality care from more than 433,000 physicians and 3,600 hospitals. Since 1995, UnitedHealth Group has ranked first or second in Fortune magazine's annual survey of the most admired health care companies in America.

Kaleida Health is the largest health care provider in Western New York. More than one million patients are seen annually at Buffalo General Hospital, DeGraff Memorial Hospital, Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, The Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo and numerous community health care centers. The system includes long-term care facilities, as well as visiting nurse, behavioral health and home care services.