Wilson Medical Center Earns Blue Distinction® Center+ Designation for Quality and Cost-Efficiency in Knee and Hip Replacement Surgeries
April 12, 2021
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) has selected Wilson Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated healthcare facilities shown to deliver improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies with input from the medical community.
Knee and hip replacement procedures are among the fastest growing medical treatments in the U.S., according to studies published in the June 2014 Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery1 and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons2.
In 2010, the estimated cost of hip replacements averaged $17,500 and the estimated cost of knee replacements averaged $16,000, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)3.
Hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ for Knee and Hip Replacement demonstrate expertise in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, resulting in fewer patient complications and hospital readmissions. Designated hospitals must also maintain national accreditation. In addition to meeting these quality thresholds, hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ are on average 20 percent more cost-efficient in an episode of care compared to other hospitals.
Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet nationally established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.
Wilson Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross NC for meeting the robust selection criteria for knee and hip replacements set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
“Delivering exceptional, high quality care is our number one priority. We are pleased to receive this designation which is a true reflection of our commitment to patient safety. Rest assured, you are in good hands when undergoing a joint replacement surgery at Wilson Medical Center,” said Mark Holyoak, CEO. “Our orthopedic surgeons – Drs. Lawrence Yenni, Ryan Mitchell and John Wechter are top-notch providers dedicated to providing the highest quality care and the best possible outcomes for our patients.”
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, maternity care, spine surgery, and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver.
“Achieving the Blue Distinction® Center for Knee and Hip Replacement designation is an important milestone,” said Dr. Larry Wu, Medical Officer at Blue Cross NC. “When our members see the designation, they can know that Wilson Medical Center shares Blue Cross NC’s commitment to improving access to quality, effective specialty care.”
For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities, please visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
1 J Bone Joint Surg Am, The Role of Overweight and Obesity in Relation to the More Rapid Growth of Total Knee Arthroplasty Volume Compared with Total Hip Arthroplasty Volume, 2014 Jun 04; 96 (11): 922 -928. http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.L.01731
2 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Annual Incidents of Common Musculoskeletal Procedures and Treatment, 2014 March; http://www.aaos.org/research/stats/CommonProceduresTreatments-March2014.pdf
3HCUP Projections: Mobility/Orthopedic Procedures 2003 to 2012. HCUP Projections Report #2012-03. ONLINE September 20, 2012, U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Available: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/data/hcup/index.html