Glendale Adventist Medical Center Receives Blue Distinction Center+ Designation for Quality and Efficiency

GLENDALE, CA, April 26, 2013 (Press-News.org) Blue Shield of California has named Glendale Adventist Medical Center as a designated Blue Distinction Center+ for Spine Surgery and as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee & Hip Replacement. The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program is a national designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality special care - which expanded recently to include more robust quality measures focused on improved patient health and safety, as well as new cost efficiency measures.

"We are proud to get this distinction. It validates our commitment to best practices and service at a higher level for our patients," said Arby Nahapetian, MD, vice president of medical affairs and quality at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

Since 2006, consumers, medical providers and employers have relied on the Blue Distinction program to identify hospitals delivering quality care in Bariatric Surgery, Cardiac Care, Complex and Rare Cancers, Knee and Hip Replacements, Spine Surgery, and Transplants. The selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed with input from the medical community, and include general quality and safety metrics plus program specific metrics. Glendale Adventist Medical Center is proud to have met the rigorous selection criteria set by the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program.

"Blue Distinction Centers set themselves apart by adhering to best practices in patient safety and surgical care and producing consistently strong outcomes with fewer complications," says Marcus Thygeson, M.D., senior vice president and chief health officer for health care services at Blue Shield. "Blue Shield of California is pleased to recognize the high-quality care that this hospital and these physicians deliver."

Research confirms that the newly designated Blue Distinction Centers+ demonstrate better quality and improve outcomes for patients, with lower rates of complications and readmissions than their peers. Blue Distinction Centers+ not only meet the same quality criteria as Blue Distinction Centers, but they also go a step further. Hospitals receiving a Blue Distinction Center+ designation are also measured on how efficiently they deliver the care by being 20 percent more cost-efficient. The program provides consumers with tools to help them make better informed health care decisions. These results will also enable employers, working with their local Blue Plan, to tailor benefits to meet their individual quality objectives.

To learn more about the Blue Distinction designation, visit www.bcbs.com.

About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a non-profit health plan with three million members 5,000 employees, and $10.5 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California provides health, life, dental, vision, and Medicare insurance and health care service plans in California. Blue Shield of California was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies in 2012 and 2013. Since 2005, the company has contributed more than $200 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation, one of Business Week's most generous corporate foundations. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services, or visit www.blueshieldca.com.

Glendale Adventist Medical Center is a not-for-profit 515-bed acute-care medical center in Glendale, CA serving Los Angeles County. Centers of Excellence include, The Heart & Vascular Institute, Spine and Orthopedics services and Neuroscience Institute. For more information about Glendale Adventist Medical Center's comprehensive spine and orthopedic services please call (818) 409-8100 or visit www.glendaleadventist.com