Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia has recognized WVU Medicine Jefferson Medical Center with a Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care designation as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated hospitals that show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community.
Nearly four million babies are born in the U.S. annually, making childbirth the most common cause of hospitalization, and cesarean sections the most common operating room procedures, according to National Centers for Health Statistics and the Agency for Health Care Research & Quality (AHRQ).
Reducing early elective delivery is an area of focus for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). According to Health Affairs, elective inductions result in more cesarean deliveries and a longer maternal hospitalization. The Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care program evaluates hospitals on quarterly measures for vaginal and cesarean delivery.
“Jefferson Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Highmark BCBS West Virginia for meeting the rigorous Blue Distinction Center quality selection criteria for maternity care established by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program,” Samantha Richards, vice president/chief nursing officer, said. “This distinction acknowledges the quality, evidence-based maternity care delivered by our staff and providers at Jefferson Medical Center.”
“The Blue Distinction program gives Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia members the ability to choose their providers based on reliable quality and safety information,” said Charles DeShazer, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer for Highmark. “We congratulate our Blue Distinction Specialty Care providers on their accomplishment and thank our members for choosing Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia.”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies across the nation have recognized more than 1000 hospitals as Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care. Hospitals recognized with this distinction are assessed using a combination of quality information supplied by hospitals and cost measures derived from BCBS companies’ medical claims.
For more information about the program, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
