Blue Distinction Specialty Care program launches three new designations

The Blue Distinction^® Specialty Care program recently added three new Blue Distinction^® Center designations.

The following specialty care programs are now included among the nationally designated hospitals and other health care providers that demonstrate expertise in delivering improved patient safety, better health outcomes and affordability:

Cellular immunotherapy — CAR-T*
Gene therapy — ocular disorders
Fertility care

Within Blue Distinction Specialty Care, facilities and other health care providers that meet quality requirements are designated as Blue Distinction Centers. Those meeting specific quality and cost requirements are designated as Blue Distinction Center+ facilities.

Following are the other specialty areas included in the program:

Bariatric surgery
Cancer care
Cardiac care
Knee and hip replacement
Maternity care
Spine surgery
Transplants

These specialty areas are sometimes considered shoppable procedures because patients generally have time to investigate and identify the top medical centers that meet their needs before having the procedure done.

Cardiac care program

In addition to the new designations, the Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care program has been refreshed, and includes both BDC and BDC+ designations. To be eligible for the program, a hospital must have earned national accreditation in addition to meeting other criteria.

To receive Blue Distinction Center or Blue Distinction Center+ designation for cardiac care, a hospital must demonstrate its expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care, focusing on cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery bypass graft and stent procedures. To receive Blue Distinction Center+ designation, it must also demonstrate better cost efficiency compared to its peers.

Coming next year

A new substance use treatment and recovery program will be available in 2020. Stay tuned for more details.

For more information

For more information on Blue Distinction^® Center and Blue Distinction Center+ designations, visit the Blue Distinction website.

*CAR-T stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy.

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