49 Erie County Medical Center 1978-Present A 2006 report by the New York State Department of Health reported that ECMC had the best cardiac surgery survival rates in Western New York. The medical center was also recognized in the 2007 “America’s Best Hospitals” issue of U.S. News & World Report by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines program in an ad for performance achievement in cardiac patient care. This quality improvement program helps insure that patients always receive cardiac care consistent with the latest guidelines and recommendations. When a heart attack strikes, every minute counts. An important outcome of the Berger Commission, the panel that reviewed health care capacity and resources in New York State, was an agreement announced in February 2013 between ECMC and Kaleida Health to merge all cardiac services at the Gates Vascular Institute (GVI), which opened in 2012. All heart surgery, angioplasty, and heart attack care services were shifted to GVI on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. ECMC’s then-CEO Jody Lomeo stated, “The integration of ECMC cardiac services with the Gates Vascular Institute to create one program at both sites continues our goal to provide quality care for patients, support for the region’s trauma center, and further enhance the clinical expertise at the Gates Vascular Institute. Working with Kaleida Health, we continue to see true results of collaboration as we improve health care for our entire community.” This collaborative process between Kaleida and ECMC also included the creation of both the Regional Center of Excellence for Transplantation & Kidney Care in 2011 and the Regional Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in 2014 on ECMC’s Grider Street Health Campus. Former ECMC CEO and current Kaleida Health President & CEO, Jody L. Lomeo. Photo courtesy Joe Cascio. The Regional Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health grand opening, January 16, 2014. Photo courtesy Joe Cascio.