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Blue Distinction

Blue Distinction® is a designation awarded by the 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, objective selection criteria established with input from expert physicians and medical organizations. Its goal is to help consumers find quality specialty care on a consistent basis, while enabling and encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the overall quality and delivery of care nationwide.

The criteria we use to select Blue Distinction Centers® are made available to the public. This allows both consumers and providers to understand what's behind this quality designation. Our goals are:

  • to encourage providers to improve the overall quality and delivery of healthcare, resulting in better overall outcomes for patients
  • to support consumers as they identify medical facilities that best meet their needs.

Learn more by viewing a short video clip on Blue Distinction.

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Blue Distinction Centers

At the core of the Blue Distinction program are the six Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care®, facilities that we recognize for their distinguished clinical care and processes.

Bariatric Surgery

Morbid obesity is widely recognized as a contributor to serious health risks. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), between 1998 and 2004, the total number of bariatric weight-loss surgeries increased nine times, from 13,386 to 121,055.  Blue Distinction® provides objective information to help patients make informed decisions when choosing a provider.

Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery® have demonstrated their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for bariatric patients. Each facility meets stringent clinical criteria, developed in collaboration with expert physicians and medical organizations*, including the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and is subject to periodic re-evaluation as criteria continue to evolve.

Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery provide a full range of bariatric surgery care services, including inpatient care, post-operative care, outpatient follow-up care and patient education. To date, The Blues' have designated approximately 350 Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery across the country.

To view the list of Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery, please click on the link to launch a PDF. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to view the document. If you do not have Acrobat, please click here to download it for free.

Cardiac Care

The American Heart Association estimates that 1.2 million Americans will experience a first or recurrent heart attack each year. When it is you or someone you care about that is in need of heart care, you want to find a facility you can trust.

Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care® have demonstrated their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for cardiac patients. Each facility meets stringent clinical criteria, developed in collaboration with expert physicians' and medical organizations' recommendations*, including the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), and is subject to periodic reevaluation as criteria continue to evolve.

Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care provide a full range of cardiac care services, including inpatient cardiac care, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac catheterization and cardiac surgery (including coronary artery bypass graft surgery).** To date, we have designated approximately 500 Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care across the country.

To view the list of Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care, please click on the link to launch a PDF. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to view the document. If you do not have Acrobat, please click here to download it for free.

Some Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies may already participate in local cardiac care programs. The Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care program neither disrupts nor replaces the Plans' own existing programs.

*These organizations have provided information and input, but do not formally endorse the Blue Distinction Centers® program.

** At the discretion of the local BCBS Plan and under a specified contingency process, a facility that provides the full range of cardiac services but does not provide on-site coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery may be considered for Blue Distinction designation if it is part of a cooperative system with a qualifying facility that provides emergency backup CABG for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and meets our contingency criteria. Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care without on-site CABG will be differentiated from full-service Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care in program listings.

Complex and Rare Cancers

Complex and rare cancers comprise approximately 15 percent of new cancer cases each year. Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers® are the first in a line of anticipated Blue Distinction Centers® focused on cancer treatment.

This initial phase evaluates facilities on patient assessment, treatment planning, complex inpatient care and major surgical treatments for adults; all delivered by teams with distinguished expertise and subspecialty training for complex and rare cancers. The program focuses on the following 13 cancers:

  • Bladder cancer
  • Brain cancer – primary
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Gastric cancer
  • Liver cancer – primary
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Rectal cancer
  • Acute leukemia (inpatient, non-surgical)
  • Bone cancer – primary
  • Head and neck cancers
  • Ocular melanoma
  • Soft tissue sarcoma
  • Thyroid cancer – medullary or anaplastic

To date, approximately 90 of the nation's cancer facilities have been designated as Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers.

To view the list of Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers, please click on the link to launch a PDF. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to view the document. If you do not have Acrobat, please click here to download it for free.

Additional Resources

Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers were developed in strategic collaboration with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).** View a complete listing of NCCN member institutions.

Click here for additional resources regarding complex and rare cancers.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield System recognizes that the majority of patients' multidisciplinary treatment may be best accomplished by integrating the expertise available in a Blue Distinction Center with locally available treatment resources, especially for outpatient chemotherapy and radiotherapy, based on individual circumstances and patient preference. Optimal support of a patient's comprehensive cancer care needs may be achieved by coordination of care between the patient and their family, local physicians, the Blue Distinction Center and their local Blue Cross and Blue Shield company.

Some Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies may already participate in local cancer care programs. The new Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers program neither disrupts nor replaces the Blue Companies' own existing programs.

* Specific subtypes of complex and rare cancers for which each facility met our selection criteria are identified alongside its name but are not intended as a comprehensive list of all cancer care services that the facility may offer.

**This organization has provided information and input, but does not formally endorse the Blue Distinction Centers® program. 

Knee and Hip Replacement

If your joints have suffered damage from arthritis or injury, you may find it difficult to complete everyday activities such as walking or climbing stairs. Whether you're exploring treatment options with your doctor or have already decided to have knee or hip replacement surgery, Blue Distinction® can help by identifying medical facilities that have demonstrated a commitment to providing quality care and better overall outcomes for knee and hip replacement procedures.

Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement® demonstrate an expertise in quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for patients, by meeting objective clinical measures developed with input from expert physicians and medical organizations. To date, we have designated approximately 540 facilities nationwide as Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement.

Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement provide comprehensive inpatient knee and hip replacement services, including total knee replacement and total hip replacement surgeries.  Find a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement near you:

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to view the List of Blue Distinction Centers Knee for and Hip Replacement document. If you do not have Acrobat, please click here to download it for free.

Expert panelists contributed to BCBSA's development of the Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement by providing professional advice in connection with proposed selection criteria, request for information survey questions, and related features for this Blue Distinction Centers Program.

If you are a physician or hospital administrator interested in learning more or applying for the 2012 Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement designation for your medical facility, please click here.

Spine Surgery

Studies confirm that as many as eight out of 10 Americans suffer from some sort of back pain. Many treatment options for back pain may be appropriate, at the recommendation and guidance of your doctor. For those with severe and/or chronic pain, spine surgery may be a treatment option. If you or someone you care about is in need of spine surgery, look to medical facilities you can trust – look to Blue Distinction Centers®.

Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery® have demonstrated their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for spine surgery patients. Each Blue Distinction® facility meets objective clinical measures that are developed with input from expert physicians' and medical organizations' recommendations. To date, we have designated approximately 310 facilities across the country as Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery.

Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery provide comprehensive inpatient spine surgery services, including discectomy, fusion and decompression procedures.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to view the List of Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery document. If you do not have Acrobat, please click here to download it for free.  

Expert panelists contributed to BCBSA's development of the Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery by providing professional advice in connection with proposed selection criteria, request for information survey questions, and related features for this Blue Distinction Centers Program.

If you are a physician or hospital administrator interested in learning more or applying for the 2012 Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery designation for your medical facility, please click here.

Transplants

More than 100,000 people in the United States were registered for organ donations from one of the nation's 800+ transplant programs.* The Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants® program can help you find the transplant program that meets your needs.

Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants have demonstrated their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for transplant patients. Each facility meets stringent clinical criteria, established in collaboration with expert physicians' and medical organizations' recommendations**, including the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR), the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) and the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), and is subject to periodic re-evaluation as criteria continue to evolve.

Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants provide a range of services for transplant, including:

  • heart
  • lung (single or bilateral)
  • liver (deceased and living donor)
  • simultaneous pancreas kidney (SPK)
  • pancreas (PAK/PTA)
  • bone marrow/stem cell (autologous and allogeneic)

To date, approximately 100 Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants have been designated, representing more than 400 specific transplant programs across the country.

To view the list of Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants, please click on the link to launch a PDF. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® to view the document. If you do not have Acrobat, please click here to download it for free.

More Information

Additional resources and facts about transplant services, including sources of potential financial assistance and a directory of available patient advocates and education are available.

* Source: The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the unified transplant network established by the United States Congress under the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) of 1984. Visit www.optn.org to learn more.

** These organizations have provided information and input, but do not formally endorse the Blue Distinction Centers® program.

For Hospitals or Physicians

If you are a physician or hospital administrator interested in learning more or applying for the Blue Distinction designation for your medical facility, please click here.

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; and call your provider before making an appointment, to verify the most current information on its Network participation and Blue Distinction status.  Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any of its Licensees are responsible for any damages, losses, or non-covered charges that may result from using this website or receiving care from a provider listed in this website.