OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center has received a Blue Distinction® Center for Cardiac Care designation by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL), as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated providers that meet quality standards and have proven to deliver quality care with safe practices that lead to better health outcomes for patients.
In the United States, one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care empower patients with the information they need to choose quality, in-network cardiac care. To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care designation, health care facilities must demonstrate expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care for:
- Percutaneous coronary interventions
- Coronary artery bypass graft
- Aortic valve replacement
“At OSF Saint Francis, we are proud of the fact that we are constantly evolving to offer the latest technology, highest level of expertise and best clinical practices available to serve our patients,” said Mike Wells, president of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center. “This recognition further demonstrates our dedication to providing the safest and best quality care.”
“We are so honored to have been singled out and recognized for the outstanding care that we provide to our patients through the OSF Cardiovascular Institute,” said Dr. Darrel Gumm, vice president of OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular service line. “We continually strive to achieve our Mission, which is to treat every patient with the greatest care and love.”
Health care facilities recognized as Blue Distinction Centers are assessed using quality information supplied by third-party data registries, which are evaluated based on objective measures developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.
“The hospitals that receive this important designation from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois demonstrate a strong commitment to quality and performance,” said Dr. Derek Robinson, chief medical officer, BCBSIL. “This recognition shows that our members, employers, providers and communities can count on Blue Distinction Centers for access to health care that helps our members achieve their health goals.”
Nationally, Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care are providing quality care for patients and have lower in-hospital mortality rates and lower bleeding complication rates for angioplasty than non-Blue Distinction Centers. Designated facilities also meet national standards, with patients facing fewer readmissions and mortality rates for coronary artery bypass graft procedures and heart attacks, compared to facilities that do not meet the criteria.
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, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, gene therapy, knee and hip replacements, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver.
For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated providers, visit www.bcbs.com.
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About OSF HealthCare
OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. OSF HealthCare employs nearly 24,000 Mission Partners in 150 locations, including 15 hospitals – 10 acute care, five critical access – with 2,098 licensed beds, and two colleges of nursing throughout Illinois and Michigan. The OSF HealthCare physician network employs more than 1,500 primary care, specialist and advanced practice providers. OSF HealthCare, through OSF Home Care Services, operates an extensive network of home health and hospice services. It also owns Pointcore, Inc., comprised of health care-related businesses; OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm for the organization; and OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. More at osfhealthcare.org/.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) is the largest health insurer in Illinois, serving 8.8 million members and operating in all 102 Illinois counties. In 2022, J.D. Power named BCBSIL #1 in Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Illinois/Indiana Region. BCBSIL is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Learn more at bcbsil.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Blue Distinction Centers
Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures, developed with input from the medical community. A local Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) company may require additional criteria for providers located in its own service area; for details, contact your local BCBS company. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare. Each provider’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its local BCBS company. Providers in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two local BCBS company’s areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own local BCBS company’s decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in-network status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your local BCBS company and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross Blue Shield Association nor any BCBS company are responsible for non-covered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.
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