Rose Medical Center Recognized For Quality, Cost-Effective Bariatric Surgery
Denver hospital among first to receive new designation
DENVER, March 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado has recognized Rose Medical Center as one of the first healthcare facilities in the nation to receive a Blue Distinction® Center+ designation in the area of bariatric surgery by the Blue Distinction® Centers for Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction® Centers are nationally designated healthcare facilities shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective measures, which were developed with input from the medical community, for patient safety and better health outcomes.
To receive a Blue Distinction Center+ for Bariatric Surgery designation, a healthcare facility must demonstrate success in meeting patient safety as well as bariatric-specific quality measures, including complications and readmissions, for gastric stapling and/or gastric banding procedures. A healthcare facility must also have earned national accreditations at both the facility level and the bariatric care-specific level, as well as demonstrate better cost efficiency relative to its peers. Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet Blue Distinction's nationally-established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.
"Rose is proud to be recognized by Anthem for meeting the rigorous selection criteria for bariatric surgery set by the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program," said Kenneth H. Feiler, president & CEO of Rose Medical Center. "The specialists at our bariatric program have performed more than 5,000 bariatric procedures, which leads to effective and efficient care. Patients who choose this life-changing option want quality, paired with compassionate and personalized care, which our team is proud to provide."
Bariatric surgeries are among the most common elective surgeries in the U.S., which provides a significant opportunity to improve quality and efficiency within the healthcare system. There were 179,000 bariatric surgeries performed in 2013, according to the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and the average cost is more than $28,000 per episode, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Yet the estimated annual healthcare costs of obesity-related illnesses are $190.2 billion, or nearly 21 percent of annual medical spending in the U.S., according to the Journal of Health Economics, and it is estimated that 72 million Americans are obese and 24 million suffer from morbid obesity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Research shows that facilities designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients compared with their peers. On average, Blue Distinction Centers+ are also 20 percent or more cost efficient than non-BDC+ designated healthcare facilities.
"Anthem is committed to providing our members with access to high quality health care services, so we are proud to recognize those hospitals in our network that have gone above and beyond to improve care quality and enhance patient safety," said Mike Ramseier, president, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Centers for 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, spine surgery, and transplants while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities, please visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
About Rose Medical Center
Well known as a Denver institution and a 9th Avenue landmark for more than 60 years, Rose Medical Center has earned its reputation as Denver's "Baby Hospital" while becoming a leader in comprehensive women's, surgical and endoscopy services, heart and vascular, orthopedics, total joint replacement, bariatrics, and sports, internal and aesthetic medicine. With origins in Jewish teachings, traditions and community, Rose's founders built this hospital to "serve the need of every creed." By offering a high level of expertise and service across all disciplines, Rose has truly become a destination hospital, attracting patients from throughout Colorado and around the world. Learn more at www.rosemed.com.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 37 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 105 million members – one in three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog, for up-to-date information about BCBSA.
SOURCE Rose Medical Center
Share this article