CHI Health St. Elizabeth Earns Designation for Spine Surgery and Knee/Hip Replacement
CHI Health St. Elizabeth is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) with Blue Distinction ® Center+ (BDC+) designations for both Spine Surgery and Knee and Hip Replacement.
These programs identify hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) that demonstrate expertise in patient safety, deliver better health outcomes, and are more cost-effective. Quality assessments are based on objective measures developed from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s (BCBSA) partnership with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
These designations are a testament to the rigorous standards met by CHI Health St. Elizabeth. Designated spine surgery and designated knee and hip replacement facilities deliver high quality care, with an average of:
- 28% fewer readmissions and 29% fewer complications within 90 days after spine surgery
- 21% fewer readmissions and 21% fewer complications within 90 days of knee and hip replacement surgery
Designated BDC+ facilities also achieve cost savings of 23% for spine surgery and 30% for knee and hip replacements compared to all other facilities for these specialty care areas.
Patients treated at designated facilities benefit from the expertise and advanced practices that lead to improved recovery times and reduced complications making a positive difference in their overall health journey.
"We are honored to collaborate with providers like CHI Health St. Elizabeth," said Dr. Thadeo Salido, senior medical director at BCBSNE. "Annually, we aim to strengthen our partnerships with providers who, in turn, offer exceptional care and treatment experiences for our members. CHI Health St. Elizabeth has invested considerable time and resources into developing specialized training, quality assurance measures and enhancements to improve health outcomes. This recognition underscores the commitment and hard work of our providers in meeting both our standards and the expectations of our members."
These BDC programs help consumers find both quality and value for their specialty care needs, while also encouraging health care professionals to improve the overall delivery of care nationwide. Only providers that meet nationally established quality measures will be considered for designation as both a BDC Spine Surgery and a BDC for Knee and Hip Replacement, which include:
| Spine Surgery | Knee and Hip Replacement |
|---|---|
| Full accreditation by at least one of the national accrediting organizations as either a hospital or ASC | Full accreditation by at least one of national accrediting organizations as either a hospital or ASC |
| Low complication, mortality and unplanned readmission rates within 90 days after primary spine surgery | Low complication, mortality and unplanned readmission rates within 90 days after elective primary total knee and hip replacements |
| Have enhanced recovery after surgery processes and procedures in place for quality perioperative care | Have enhanced recovery after surgery processes and procedures in place for quality perioperative care |
| Participation in BCBSNE’s BlueCard Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Network | Participation in BCBSNE’s BlueCard Preferred PPO Network |
By meeting these stringent criteria, CHI Health St. Elizabeth not only highlights its commitment to high quality health care but also commits to remaining at the forefront of advancements in spine surgery and knee and hip replacements.
To further improve patient outcomes and inform treatment strategies in these specialty care areas, BCBSA utilized two robust sources for evidence-based performance measures and patient reported outcome measures: the American Spine Registry—a joint effort between the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and AAOS—and the American Joint Replacement Registry.
Since 2005, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care—and, for those that meet the program’s cost criteria, at lower costs—in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the quality of care they deliver.