A Brief History
On September 11, 2012, the ascending aorta in the author’s chest exploded, a burst aneurism followed by a massive aorta dissection, spelling almost certain death. Incredibly, the surgeons, surgical nurses and assistants at the Cleveland Clinic performed emergency open heart and aorta surgery and saved my life, a fantastic feat with nearly no chance of success. It is unlikely any other hospital on Earth could have provided the treatment to save my life that day, with the finest cardiac and vascular surgeons and surgical teams operating at the same time!
Digging Deeper
The Cleveland Clinic is perhaps the greatest hospital in the world, especially with regard to all things related to the heart and heart surgery. (Ranked #1 by US News and World Report for cardiac surgery, and #2 overall.) Crowned heads and major celebrities go to the Clinic for their cardiac treatment, and the reputation as The Place to go for heart surgery has helped the Clinic expand to a main campus sprawling over 160 acres and 44 buildings! Around 40,000 employees work at the main campus, with another 5,000 or so worldwide at related branches (Florida, Nevada, Canada, and United Arab Emirates).
Cleveland Clinic employees are the best! Seriously, not just the best doctors in the world, but incredibly knowledgeable and caring nurses, competent and caring aides, efficient clerks and administrative people, and a maintenance crew that does not hesitate to guide patients and families of patient through the maze of the giant complex. After twice going to the Clinic for open heart surgery and another hospital stay there for digestive problems, I must give all credit to the wonderful staff that took incredibly good care of me and accommodated my family.
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation has revenues of nearly $10 billion per year, a huge leap from the tiny operation founded in 1921, with only 60 employees at that time. It is now the largest employer in Northeast Ohio.
I never properly thanked those wonderful people that saved my life in 2012, or those that so patiently attended to me again in 2013. Thank you all from the bottom of my repaired heart! I strongly recommend the Cleveland Clinic to anyone with a cardiac condition or for that matter, any other medical needs.
(By the way, thanks and respect for the great job saving my life done by local EMS, Samaritan Hospital, and the Lifeflight helicopter crew that took me to the Clinic. All these people were super efficient and professional. Thanks again!)
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Sheldon, William C. Pathfinders of the Heart: The History of Cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic. Xlibris, 2008.
