To become a Blue Distinction Center, each medical facility must meet rigorous, evidence-based selection criteria. The Blue Distinction evaluation includes a broad range of quality criteria, from treatment through recovery. By using a number of factors that can contribute to quality care, you and your patients can get a clearer picture of how Blue Distinction Centers are structured to deliver better care—from expert teams of caregivers, to access to the appropriate hospital resources, to a commitment to quality improvement—within a given specialty procedure.
The selection criteria used are publicly available to you and your patients on www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
The following table provides a sampling of some of the criteria used to evaluate facilities for Blue Distinction:
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Selection Criteria Category
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Examples
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Safety & Quality Outcomes
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- Complication rates
- Readmission rates
- Mortality rates
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Accreditation, Certification, and Expertise
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- Full facility accreditation by a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-deemed national accreditation organization
- Length of time a facility has performed a procedure
- Number of times a particular procedure has been completed
- Physician credentials
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Patient-Centered and Coordinated Care
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- Dedicated team focused on providing the particular area of specialty care
- Types of comprehensive care services and supporting departments provided (e.g., emergency room, diagnostic testing/ radiology, nutrition, social services, rehabilitation, etc.)
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Comprehensive, Evidence-based Care
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- Adherence to nationally-established care delivery measures
- Use of patient care protocols and adherence to evidence-based clinical care measures and guidelines
- Systematic follow-up on patient results after procedures
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Rapid Learning System
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- Quality improvement processes
- Use of clinical registry data systems
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To maintain its Blue Distinction Center designation, each facility must reapply periodically for re-designation. This not only encourages continuing quality at the facility level, but it also provides an opportunity for The Blues® to work with expert physicians and medical organizations to determine if any of the Blue Distinction quality thresholds should be raised to reflect current clinical practice. This process fosters ongoing opportunities for improving the overall quality of care.