Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has designated Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center as a Blue Distinction® Center+ for bariatric surgery as part of its Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
Nationally recognized Blue Distinction Centers are healthcare facilities that show a commitment to delivering efficient and high-quality patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.
“Our bariatric medicine team at Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Anthem for meeting the rigorous Blue Distinction Center+ quality selection criteria for bariatric surgery set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program,” said Mercy Health – Springfield President Adam Groshans. “Providing the best quality patient care is our priority and this designation validates our efforts.”
“Blue Distinction designation is an important recognition of Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center’s innovative and patient-centered approach to bariatric surgery quality,” said Barry Malinowski, MD, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio’s medical director. “The Blue Distinction program recognizes commitment to quality and helps consumers identify high performing health care providers. I congratulate the entire bariatric team at Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center for this well-deserved honor.”
The Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery program provides a full range of bariatric surgery care; including surgical care, post-operative care, outpatient follow-up care, and patient education.
Bariatric surgeries are among the most common elective surgeries in the U.S. — with more than 252,000 bariatric surgeries performed in 2018 based on a report from the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)1. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 42.7 percent of U.S. adults and 18.5 percent of youth are obese and are impacted by obesity-related health conditions2. With obesity reaching epidemic levels among U.S. adults, a significant opportunity exists to improve quality care for bariatric surgeries within the national healthcare system.
The annual healthcare spend on obesity and obesity-related conditions expected is expected to rise by 2030, if the rate of obesity in the U.S. continues to climb.3 Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severely obese patients because it allows for substantial, sustained weight loss, which leads to, improves, or resolves obesity-related co-morbidities like type 2 diabetes. On average, healthcare costs were reduced by 29 percent within five years following bariatric surgery, due to the reduction or elimination of obesity-related conditions, based on findings by ASMBS.
To receive a Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery designation, a healthcare facility must demonstrate success in meeting patient safety measures as well as bariatric-specific quality measures, including complication and readmission rate for laparoscopic procedures in sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric band. All designated facilities must also be nationally accredited at both the facility and bariatric program-specific levels.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, gene therapy, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery, and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that, compared to other healthcare facilities, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients.
For more information about the program and for a complete listing of designated facilities, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
For more information on Mercy Health’s weight loss services, visit mercy.com/health-care-services/bariatrics-medical-weight-loss.
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[1] American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3 Wang, Y. C., McPherson, K., Marsh, T., Gortmaker, S. L., & Brown, M. (2011). Health and economic burden of the projected obesity trends in the USA and the UK. Lancet (London, England), 378(9793), 815–825. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60814-3
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Mercy Health – Springfield is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health, one of the 20 largest health systems in the United States and the fifth-largest Catholic health system in the country. The ministry’s quality, compassionate care is provided by more than 60,000 associates serving communities in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia, as well as throughout Ireland. Mercy Health – Springfield, which includes Springfield Regional Medical Center and Urbana Hospital, has a mission to extend the compassionate ministry of Jesus by improving the health and well-being of our communities and bring good help to those in need, especially people who are poor, dying and underserved. Mercy Health – Springfield is a comprehensive, regional health care system, known for quality, innovation, compassionate service and a caring culture. With two hospitals and numerous physician offices and care locations, Mercy Health ensures easy access to safe, effective, timely and cost-efficient care for every stage of life through a network of hospitals, nursing homes and retirement communities as well as rehabilitation and outreach services. Consistent with its commitment to serve each patient with dignity, Bon Secours Mercy Health provides nearly $2 million per day in community benefit. To learn more, visit mercy.com.
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Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures, developed with input from the medical community. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for providers located in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare. Each provider’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Providers in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in-network status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for noncovered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.