The hospital received the 2010 Clinical Excellence Award this morning. The honor places staff in the the top ten percent in the U.S. for cardiac surgery. The excellence award also gives Swedish American a five star rating in coronary bypass surgery, and a 'best rated' nod in the region for cardiac services. Earlier this month the hospital received high grades in customer care. Healthcare staff say they are thankful for the recognition, but say there is always room for improvement.

Doctor John Meyers said, "The thing that's most important right now is that our patients are getting sicker, and older. So figuring out how to best take of, especially people that are 80 years old. There are more and more people surviving into their 80's that need heart surgery."

Swedish American Hospital is the only hospital in the stateline to receive the health grades specialty in cardiac surgery.