There are many factors - unrelated to care received at our hospital - that contribute to DRMC’s mortality rates 30 days after admission. Included are deaths that may not be related to heart disease. Some are the result of patients not seeking early treatment because of financial conerns and become sicker BEFORE treatment begins or not making good lifestyle choices related to diet, exercise, smoking cessation and others AFTER hospitalization. Nevertheless, the situation is unacceptable to us, and we are working every day at getting better, just like we want our patients to get better.