Bayhealth Recognized for Higher Quality in Bariatric Surgery
Monday, June 4, 2018
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Surgical Weight Loss
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware has recognized Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus and Bayhealth Milford Memorial with a Blue Distinction® Center for Bariatric Surgery designation as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated hospitals that show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community.
To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery designation, a healthcare facility must demonstrate success in meeting patient safety measures as well as bariatric-specific quality measures, including complication and readmission rate for laparoscopic procedures in sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and adjustable gastric band. A healthcare facility must also be nationally accredited at both the facility and bariatric program-specific levels.
Also, only those healthcare facilities that first meet Blue Distinction’s nationally-established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+. Bayhealth Milford Memorial also earned the Blue Distinction Center+ designation.
“Recognition of the Bayhealth Bariatric Program as a Blue Distinction Center is a reaffirmation of our ongoing commitment to our community for providing high-quality surgical treatment for obesity. The Bayhealth Bariatric program is comprised of a group of highly trained and committed team members, dedicated to providing individualized care to each patient that participates in this program,” said Rahul Singh, MD, medical director of bariatric surgery at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus.
“It has been very gratifying to see how well a significant majority of the patients have done,” said Thomas P. Barnett, MD, FACS, medical director of bariatric surgery at Bayhealth Milford Memorial. “The team at Milford—from pre-op to intra-op to post-op—has done a great job in making sure our patients have a safe and wonderful experience.”
Bayhealth is proud to be recognized by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware for meeting the rigorous Blue Distinction Center quality selection criteria for bariatric surgery set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Healthcare facilities recognized with this designation are assessed using a combination of publicly available quality information and cost measures derived from Blue Cross Blue Shield companies’ medical claims.
“The Blue Distinction program gives Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware members the ability to choose their providers based upon reliable quality and safety information. It also provides a pathway for exceptional providers to demonstrate their value, and delivers the kind of transparency necessary for members to make informed value-driven healthcare decisions. We congratulate our Blue Distinction Specialty Care Providers on their accomplishment and thank our members for choosing Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware,” said Dr. Charles DeShazer, senior vice president and chief medical officer.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, maternity care, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery, and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that, compared to other healthcare facilities, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients.
Visit Bcbs.com/BlueDistinction for more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities. Learn more about Bayhealth’s Bariatric Program by visiting Bayhealth.org/Weight-Loss or by calling 302-430-5454.
To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery designation, a healthcare facility must demonstrate success in meeting patient safety measures as well as bariatric-specific quality measures, including complication and readmission rate for laparoscopic procedures in sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and adjustable gastric band. A healthcare facility must also be nationally accredited at both the facility and bariatric program-specific levels.
Also, only those healthcare facilities that first meet Blue Distinction’s nationally-established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+. Bayhealth Milford Memorial also earned the Blue Distinction Center+ designation.
“Recognition of the Bayhealth Bariatric Program as a Blue Distinction Center is a reaffirmation of our ongoing commitment to our community for providing high-quality surgical treatment for obesity. The Bayhealth Bariatric program is comprised of a group of highly trained and committed team members, dedicated to providing individualized care to each patient that participates in this program,” said Rahul Singh, MD, medical director of bariatric surgery at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus.
“It has been very gratifying to see how well a significant majority of the patients have done,” said Thomas P. Barnett, MD, FACS, medical director of bariatric surgery at Bayhealth Milford Memorial. “The team at Milford—from pre-op to intra-op to post-op—has done a great job in making sure our patients have a safe and wonderful experience.”
Bayhealth is proud to be recognized by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware for meeting the rigorous Blue Distinction Center quality selection criteria for bariatric surgery set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Healthcare facilities recognized with this designation are assessed using a combination of publicly available quality information and cost measures derived from Blue Cross Blue Shield companies’ medical claims.
“The Blue Distinction program gives Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware members the ability to choose their providers based upon reliable quality and safety information. It also provides a pathway for exceptional providers to demonstrate their value, and delivers the kind of transparency necessary for members to make informed value-driven healthcare decisions. We congratulate our Blue Distinction Specialty Care Providers on their accomplishment and thank our members for choosing Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware,” said Dr. Charles DeShazer, senior vice president and chief medical officer.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, maternity care, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery, and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that, compared to other healthcare facilities, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients.
Visit Bcbs.com/BlueDistinction for more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities. Learn more about Bayhealth’s Bariatric Program by visiting Bayhealth.org/Weight-Loss or by calling 302-430-5454.