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Baptist Health hospitals receive Blue Distinction designations

March 22, 2016

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has recognized five Baptist Health affiliated hospitals for quality and cost-efficiency by designating each as a Blue Distinction Center+ or Blue Distinction Center for certain areas of specialty care.

(March 22, 2016) – Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has recognized five Baptist Health affiliated hospitals for quality and cost-efficiency by designating each as a Blue Distinction Center+ or Blue Distinction Center for certain areas of specialty care.

In the specialty areas in which the hospitals were eligible, Baptist Health affiliated facilities earned 14 awards, about 30 percent of the total.*

Recognized were:

  • Baptist Health Lexington -- Blue Distinction Center+ in cardiac care, spine surgery, knee and hip replacement surgery and weight-loss surgery – gastric stapling. Also a Blue Distinction Center designation in weight-loss surgery for gastric banding.

  • Baptist Health Louisville – Blue Distinction Center+ designation in cardiac care, knee and hip replacement surgery, maternity care and weight-loss surgery for gastric stapling and gastric banding.

  • Baptist Health Madisonville -- Blue Distinction Center+ designation in knee and hip replacement surgery.

  • Hardin Memorial Health (a Baptist Health-managed hospital) -- Blue Distinction Center+ designation for maternity care and knee and hip replacement surgery.

  • Baptist Health La Grange -- Blue Distinction Center designation for maternity care.

The designations signal to consumers and employers that these facilities have proven expertise in delivering specialty care and are a valuable tool in making healthcare decisions.

“Congratulations to Baptist Health hospitals for earning the Blue Distinction Center+ or Center designation in their specialty areas. The designations, and the hospitals’ participation in initiatives that improve quality and safety, demonstrate a focus on continuous improvement in patient care,” said Divya Cantor, MD, Anthem’s senior medical director.

“These designations set Baptist Health hospitals apart, and underscore the excellence of our treat-you-like-family patient care – and our emphasis on quality and patient safety,” said Steve Hanson, Baptist Health CEO.

The evaluation criteria are based on:

  •  The medical team’s expertise

  • The number of times the facility has performed the procedure

  • The facility’s track record for procedure results

Research shows that facilities designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ and Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients, compared with their peers. On average, Blue Distinction Centers+ also are more than 20 percent more cost-efficient.

For more information about the program, and for a complete listing of designated facilities, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction

 

*Baptist Health hospitals do not perform transplants. The category of Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers, in which only UK Healthcare was listed for Kentucky, was also not included in the totals.