Mon General Hospital Recognized for Quality in Cardiac Care

   Mon General Hospital has been recognized as a Blue Distinction Center® for Cardiac Care by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia, as part of Highmark’s Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program.  Blue Distinction Centers are hospitals shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective, transparent measures for patient safety and health outcomes that were developed with input from the medical community.

   In 2006, the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program was developed to help patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver.  To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care® designation, a hospital must demonstrate success in meeting both general quality and safety criteria (such as preventing hospital-acquired infections) and cardiac-specific quality measures for cardiac surgical and non-surgical procedures (such as cardiac stent placement).

   “Mon General is proud to be recognized by Highmark West Virginia for meeting the rigorous criteria set by the Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care program,” said Brian Hawthorne, MD, Mon General Vice President and Medical Director.

   “In recent years, Mon General has become a regional referral center for heart surgery,” Dr. Hawthorne said. “Our highly experienced cardiac surgeons routinely perform complex procedures, including valve repair and coronary bypass surgery, generally only offered in major metropolitan medical centers.

   “We offer a continuum of cardiac services from diagnosis all the way through post-surgical care,” he said. “Our cardiac catheterization lab is the busiest in north central West Virginia.

   “This Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care designation is a direct reflection on the skill of our cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, nurses and clinical staff, who bring comprehensive life-saving care to those we serve, keeping patient safety at the forefront,” Dr. Hawthorne said.

   Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming nearly 600,000 lives each year.  Cardiac procedures, including bypass and cardiac stent placement, are among the most common major medical procedures provided by the nation’s health care system, with more than 1 million procedures performed annually. These cardiac related procedures cost the nation more than $28 billion annually.  The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program seeks to reduce this burden, by empowering patients with the knowledge and tools to find both quality and value for their cardiac care needs.

   Research shows that Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients, with lower rates of complications for certain cardiac procedures and lower rates of healthcare associated infections, compared with their peers.

   The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program identifies hospitals delivering quality care in bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery, and transplants.  These specialty areas comprise approximately 30 percent of inpatient hospital expenditures.  For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities, please visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.