Risk Assessment

4 articles

Reading Hospital Quality: How to Understand STS Star Ratings for Heart Surgery

Cardiac surgery quality is more transparent than most patients realize. Here is how to find and interpret STS star ratings and other public measures so you can judge a heart program for yourself.

Serrie LicoJune 10, 2026

Risk Assessment

Cardiac Surgery After 80: How Age Really Affects the Decision

Being told a parent in their eighties needs heart surgery raises hard questions. Age alone does not decide the answer. Here is how experienced teams weigh the risks and benefits for older patients.

Dr. Serrie LicoJune 5, 2026

Risk Assessment

EuroSCORE II Explained: What This European Cardiac Surgery Risk Score Means for Your Heart Surgery Decision

EuroSCORE II is one of the most widely used cardiac surgery risk calculators in the world. Learn what it measures, how it compares to the STS score, and what your results actually mean for your surgical decision.

Serrie Lico, MDApril 26, 2026

Risk Assessment

How Cardiac Surgeons Actually Use Risk Scores to Make Decisions — And What That Means for You

Risk calculators like the STS score play a major role in cardiac surgery decisions, but they never tell the whole story. Here's how surgeons actually interpret these numbers — and what you should ask before agreeing to any procedure.

Sandeep M. Patel, MDMarch 20, 2026