Therapeutic cardiac catheterization procedures are performed at the Second Department of Internal Medicine under the direction of Chief Physician Dr. Oliver Koeth, Privatdozent. The team also includes Senior Attending Physician Rudolf-Henrich Theis, who heads the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Dr. Koeth views the award as recognition of the collective efforts of the entire team.
“The fact that we have now received this award for the third consecutive year is a special affirmation of our ongoing work and our team’s high standards of quality. For us, it is not merely a matter of performing a procedure successfully from a technical standpoint. We want to offer our patients treatment that meets the highest medical standards and benefits them in the long term. The fact that the AOK evaluates our results based on data extending beyond the hospital stay makes this recognition particularly valuable,” explains Dr. Oliver Koeth.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), commonly referred to as therapeutic cardiac catheterization, is an established procedure for treating narrowed coronary arteries. The goal is to widen the narrowed area and thereby improve blood flow to the heart muscle. To do this, the treating physician guides a thin catheter through an artery (usually in the groin) to the heart. Under X-ray guidance and with the help of a contrast agent, the narrowed sections of the vessel can be visualized. A small balloon is inflated at the affected site to widen the vessel. Often, a stent—a small scaffold designed to keep the artery open—is also inserted.
The AOK award is based on quality assurance using routine data (QSR). This process utilizes billing data and other insured patient data to assess the quality of care even beyond the immediate hospital stay. For example, this allows for the recording of complications that arise only after discharge and may be treated at another facility. The analysis thus enables a more nuanced assessment of treatment outcomes and their long-term quality.
“Receiving this award for the third consecutive time demonstrates that our commitment to high-quality medical care is being consistently upheld. For us, quality is not a one-time achievement, but a daily commitment to our patients. The fact that GPR Klinikum once again ranks among the top 20 percent nationwide is a strong endorsement of our employees’ performance,” emphasizes Achim Neyer, Managing Director of the GPR Health and Care Center in Rüsselsheim.