Shannon Named Blue Distinction Center+For Cardiac Care

Shannon Medical Center received a Blue Distinction Center+ ^SM designation for delivering quality and cost-efficient cardiac care, as part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas’ Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program.
Blue Distinction Centers are hospitals shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective, transparent measures for patient safety and health outcomes that were developed with input from the medical community. This year, the national program has added a new designation level, Blue Distinction Centers+, to recognize hospitals that deliver both quality and cost-efficient specialty care.

“In the healthcare industry, we are never finished improving the quality of care our patients have access to,” said Bryan Horner, President and CEO of Shannon Medical Center. “This distinction highlights Shannon’s continuing mission to provide a higher quality of care and better results for our patients.”

To receive a Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac Care^SM designation, a hospital must demonstrate success in meeting both general quality and safety criteria (such as preventing hospital-acquired infections) and cardiac-specific quality measures (related to lower rates of complications and death following cardiac surgery; and non-surgical procedures, such as cardiac stent placement), and, additionally, must show better cost efficiency relative to their 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+.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming nearly 600,000 lives each year. Cardiac procedures, including bypass and cardiac stent placement, are among the most common major medical procedures provided by the U.S. healthcare system, with more than 1 million procedures performed annually. These cardiac related procedures cost the nation more than $28 billion annually. The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program seeks to reduce this burden, by empowering patients with the knowledge and tools to find both quality and value for their cardiac care needs.

Research shows that Blue Distinction Centers+ demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients, with lower rates of complications following certain cardiac procedures and lower rates of healthcare associated infections, compared with their peers. Blue Distinction Centers+ are also 20 percent more cost-efficient for those same cardiac procedures.

Shannon’s Regional Heart Center features a team of 10 cardiologists and two cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons who are supported by a team of qualified professionals. For more information about the accreditation and cardiac services, please visit www.shannonhealth.com. Visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction to learn more about Blue Distinction Centers+.

Blue Distinction Center ® (BCD) met overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community. Blue Distinction Centers+SM (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare. Individual outcomes may vary. National criteria for facilities located in its own service area. For details on Local Blue Plan Criteria, a providers’ in-network statuses, or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local BluePlan. Each hospital’s Cost Index is calculated with data from its Local Blue Plan. Hospitals in CA, ID, NY, PA and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in two Cost Index figures; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both Cost Index figures must meet BDC+ national criteria. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for damages or non-covered charges resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.