Home Find a Health Insurance Plan Find a Health Care Provider For Members For Employers For Health Care Providers
Be Yourself. Find affordable health plans for individuals and families.

Press Release

IBC and BCBSA Name Area Hospitals as 2008 Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery

Philadelphia, PA - July 17, 2008 - The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) has designated five area hospitals as Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Care for 2008.

Bariatric surgery, or weight-loss surgery, refers to the various surgical procedures that can be performed to treat obesity, which is widely recognized as a contributor to serious health risks. The surgeries involve modifications of stomach, intestines, or both. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the total number of bariatric surgeries increased 400 percent from 1998 to 2004. Bariatric surgery may help some individuals reduce extreme obesity and its associated health risks, and Blue Distinction® provides objective information to help them make informed decisions when choosing a provider.

These hospitals provide a full range of bariatric surgery care services, including inpatient care, post-operative care, outpatient follow-up, and patient education. “It is a credit to the high caliber of medical care in our region that Philadelphia is home to five of the 200 facilities recognized as Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery across the United States,” said Dr. I. Steven Udvarhelyi, Independence Blue Cross chief medical officer. “The Blue Distinction Designation for Bariatric Surgery provides our members the information, clinical resources, and medical expertise they need to help them achieve healthy weight loss and improve their quality of life.”

Area hospitals to receive the Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery designation include:

  • Abington Memorial Hospital
  • Albert Einstein Medical Center
  • Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System
  • Temple University Hospital
  • The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

These hospitals have met numerous selection criteria thresholds necessary to be named as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery, including:

  • offering a full-service inpatient hospital facility;
  • being fully accredited by The Joint Commission or Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program;
  • performing a required volume of bariatric surgeries during the recent 12-month reporting period;
  • being staffed by an experienced and appropriately credentialed bariatric surgical team;
  • being supported by appropriate equipment and staffing;
  • establishing documented policies and procedures for patient care and follow-up care;
  • demonstrating a commitment to quality improvement, as shown by its ongoing quality management and improvement programs.

The full list of Blue Distinction selection criteria is available to the public at www.bcbs.com/innovations/bluedistinction/.

Blue Distinction is a designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. The designation is based on rigorous, evidence-based selection criteria established in collaboration with leading clinicians, medical societies and professional organizations. Today, more than 800 Blue Distinction Center designations have been awarded to facilities nationwide, providing consumers with a framework for making informed decisions on where to go for specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, and transplants.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered high-quality health care coverage tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, and health care professionals. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

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 your local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.

Important information about links to other sites