St. Mary’s Medical Center Earns Blue Distinction® Center+ Designation for Quality and Cost-Efficiency in Knee and Hip Replacement Surgeries

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana has selected St. Mary’s Medical Center, part of Ascension, the nation’s largest non-profit and Catholic health system, as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated healthcare facilities shown to deliver improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies with input from the medical community.

Knee and hip replacement procedures are among the fastest growing medical treatments in the U.S., according to studies published in the June 2014 Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery¹ and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons².

In 2010, the estimated cost of hip replacements averaged $17,500 and the estimated cost of knee replacements averaged $16,000, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)³.

Hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ for Knee and Hip Replacement demonstrate expertise in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, resulting in fewer patient complications and hospital readmissions. Designated hospitals must also maintain national accreditation. In addition to meeting these quality thresholds, hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ are on average 20 percent more cost-efficient in an episode of care compared to other hospitals. Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet nationally established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.

St. Mary’s is proud to be recognized by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana for meeting the robust selection criteria for knee and hip replacements set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

“This designation is the direct result of the commitment that the St. Mary’s Joint Replacement Solutions program and staff has in providing our patients with quality outcomes and an excellent experience,” said Chris Johnston, Joint Care Coordinator at St. Mary’s. “It is an honor to receive this recognition, as we contribute to Ascension’s focus on developing a leading national orthopedic service line for the health system’s patients across the country.”

Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, maternity care, spine surgery, and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver.

“As a Blue Distinction Center, Anthem is recognizing St. Mary’s for its efforts to improve the quality of care for health care consumers,” said Robert W. Hillman, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana.” High quality care is not only cost effective, it results in better health outcomes.”

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