Blue Cross Blue Shield Names Silver Cross a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery℠
Silver Cross Hospital’s weight loss surgery program has been recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery℠. The designation means Silver Cross meets or exceeds stringent quality criteria that demonstrates reliability in delivering bariatric surgical care and better overall outcomes for patients. The Blue Centers designation was developed to help consumers locate quality care for bariatric surgery. Silver Cross is the first hospital in the Chicago southwest suburbs to earn the designation.
Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery are required to have dedicated teams in place that provide a full range of weight loss surgery services, including inpatient care, post-operative care, follow-up and patient education. Silver Cross Hospital’s facilities include a new 36-bed inpatient unit specially designed and equipped to meet the needs of weight loss surgery patients and a state-of-the-art operating room designed for laparoscopic bariatric surgery.
The criteria for selection to the Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery were developed with input from expert physician panels and national organizations. With a goal of improving patient health and safety, the selection process includes a comprehensive e valuation of a facility’s volume, processes and outcome measures, including survival rates, post-surgical complications and sustained weight loss at two years after surgery. A focus in development of the Blue Distinction Centers is to reduce complications of treatment and surgery and therefore better manage costs.
For more information about the Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction or call 1-800-676-BLUE. Not all Blue Plans provide benefits for bariatric surgery. Members and providers are encouraged to contact their local Blue Plan customer service representative who can explain coverage and determine how benefits apply.