Butler Health System has been named one of the top 100 hospitals for cardiovascular care in the United States.

Thomson Reuters, which specializes in the business and communications of health care based in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Monday announced its 2008 list of top heart hospitals.

John Righetti, health system spokesman, said the health system's administration is "excited for the national recognition and part of the top 100 hospitals in the nation."

The distinction comes with Butler Health Systems meeting Thomson Reuters' criteria for cardiovascular disease outcomes, process of care, efficiency and lower costs, Righetti said.

"Consumers are starting to shop around and ask about these matters, like 'What's your heart bypass rate? What's your patient outcome? What is your survival rate?' And they're going to go to the center with the best answers," he said.

The health system recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the opening of its HeartCenter with the opening of its expanded heart program of the Heart and Vascular Center in the former Morgan II building at the crossroads of Routes 422, 38 and 68.

Righetti said the HeartCenter in the Butler Memorial Hospital on East Brady Street in Butler has done more than 3,000 open-heart surgeries and about 2,500 interventional procedures in the catheterization lab per year, including cardiac catheterizations, angioplasty and peripheral vascular procedures.