Spectrum Health Hospitals Recognized for Hip, Knee, Spine Care

Blodgett, Butterworth named Blue Distinction Centers

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network have designated Spectrum Health Blodgett and Butterworth hospitals as Blue Distinction Centers for Spine SurgerySM and Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement SM.

“This is great recognition for our hospitals and spotlights the exceptional skill and care we provide our patients,” said Matt Van Vranken, executive vice president, Spectrum Health System and president, Spectrum Health Hospital Group.

Both Blodgett and Butterworth hospitals offer comprehensive spine surgery as well as knee and hip replacement procedures through our expert affiliated surgeons. Procedures include:

total hip replacement
minimally invasive hip replacement
hip resurfacing (Birmingham Hip)
total knee replacement
partial knee replacement
gender-specific knee replacement for women
diskectomy
laminectomy
spinal fusion
vertrebroplastykyphoplasty

“Our Blue Distinction program recognizes hospitals that demonstrate higher levels of performance in providing better care for patients,” said Thomas Simmer, M.D., BCBSM senior vice president and chief medical officer. “We congratulate all of our Michigan Blue Distinction Centers for their commitment to providing high quality health care.”

The selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed with input from a panel of expert physicians. To be designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement, the following types of criteria were evaluated. More information on selection criteria is available at http://www.bcbs.com/

Established acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care, emergency care, and a full range of patient support services with full accreditation by a CMS-deemed national accreditation organization

Experience and training of program surgeons, including case volume

Quality management programs, including surgical checklists as well as tracking and evaluation of clinical outcomes and process of care

Multi-disciplinary clinical pathways and teams to coordinate and streamline care, including transitions of care

Shared decision-making and preoperative patient education

The Blue Distinction designation is awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality health care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery and transplants. The program is part of The Blues® efforts to collaborate with physicians and medical facilities to improve the overall quality and safety of specialty care.

Note: Designation as Blue Distinction Centers means these facilities’ overall experience and aggregate data met objective criteria established in collaboration with expert clinicians’ and leading professional organizations’ recommendations. Individual outcomes may vary. To find out which services are covered under your policy at any facilities, please call the customer service number on the back of your Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield identification card or call your local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit organization, provides and administers health benefits to 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to members of Michigan-headquartered groups who reside outside the state. The company offers a broad variety of plans including: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred®, Community BlueSM and Healthy Blue IncentivesSM PPOs; Blue Care Network HMO; BCN Healthy Blue LivingSM; Flexible BlueSM plans compatible with health savings accounts; Medicare Advantage; Part D Prescription Drug plans, and MyBlueSM products in the under-age-65 individual market. BCBSM also offers dental, vision and hearing plans. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, a collection of eight hospitals and more than 140 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group, mmpc® and West Michigan Heart—physician groups totaling more than 400 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with nearly 580,000 members. Spectrum Health’s 16,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,000 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care. The organization provided $79.4 million in community benefit during its 2009 fiscal year. In 2010, Spectrum Health was named a Top 10 Health System by Thomson Reuters.