Collaboration, problem solving, reevaluation: foundation for the Heart Center of Excellence.

Today's rapidly changing health care environment has thrust upon the caregivers, patients, and their families many challenges. A multidisciplinary team continuously analyzes strengths, weaknesses, and threats to the success of heart centers. Prolonged hospitalization for cardiac surgery patients is consistently identified as a priority with multiple opportunities for improvement. All patients are monitored for variables known to impact length of...