Northside Hospital Cancer Institute's Thoracic Surgery Program has earned a “Better than Expected” survival outcome rating for lung cancer surgery, the highest possible quality designation, as reported by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its spring 2026 quality ratings.
The status places Northside among the country’s elite thoracic surgery programs. It reflects exceptional performance in key measures, including complications and overall patient outcomes following surgery for lung cancer.
"In 2026, patients whose lung cancer can be removed surgically are benefiting from robotic assisted, minimally invasive approaches," said Dr. Michal (Misho) Hubka, medical director of Northside Thoracic Surgery. "Our team's deep expertise in robotic lung resections is reflected in our outcomes, which consistently surpass national benchmarks."
The STS rating is derived from data in the General Thoracic Surgery Database and evaluates outcomes for procedures such as lobectomy, the most common surgery for early-stage lung cancers. It contains data from more than 900 participating surgeons and nearly 800,000 general thoracic surgery procedure records across the United States.
“Northside’s results reflect our team’s experience and continued commitment to the highest quality care for our patients,” said Dr. John W. Gouldman, a surgeon at Northside Thoracic Surgery.
The latest STS data encompasses a three-year period, from 2023 to 2025, and includes 303 treatment centers.
- Of the 303 centers, only 247 received a performance rating, including Northside.
- Of those 247 centers, Northside was one of 32 that received a “Better than Expected” designation in the Overall category, placing Northside among the top 10% of reporting centers.
- Northside is among 22 centers that received a “Better than Expected” designation in the Absence of Morbidity category, meaning an absence of surgical complications. This places Northside among the top 7% of U.S. hospitals for this measure.
Northside’s recognition underscores its leadership in lung cancer care and the strength of its multidisciplinary approach, bringing together surgeons, oncologists, pulmonologists, radiation oncologists, nurses and support teams to deliver coordinated, patient-centered treatment.
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