Blue Cross Blue Shield Names Silver Cross a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery℠
Insurance Provider Recognizes Hospital’s Weight Loss Surgery Program for Providing Quality Care
Joliet, IL (April 16, 2007)—Silver Cross Hospital’s weight loss surgery program has been recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery.℠ The designation means Silver Cross meets or exceeds stringent quality criteria that demonstrates reliability in delivering bariatric surgical care and better overall outcomes for patients. The Blue Centers designation was developed to help consumers locate quality care for bariatric surgery. Silver Cross is the first hospital in the Chicago southwest suburbs to earn the designation.
“With the growing obesity problem and its inherent risks, its important for individuals looking to lose weight and improve their health know they have chosen a safe and comprehensive surgical program,” said Paul Pawlak, President/CEO of Silver Cross Hospital—a Solucient 100 Top Hospitals® National Award winner for the last three consecutive years.
Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery℠ are required to have dedicated teams in place that provide a full range of weight loss surgery services, including inpatient care, post-operative care, follow-up and patient education. Silver Cross Hospital’s facilities include a new 36-bed inpatient unit specially designed and equipped to meet the needs of weight loss surgery patients and a state-of-the-art operating room designed for laparoscopic bariatric surgery.
The bariatric surgery team is led by Dr. Christopher Joyce, who performed the first traditional and laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery as well as the first Lap-Band® procedure in the southwest suburbs. Since 2003, Dr. Joyce and his partner, Dr. Brian Lahmann, have performed over 500 weight loss surgeries. They have also led the hospital’s program to be one of only six in Illinois and the only bariatric surgery program in the region that has been recognized as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgeons.
The criteria for selection to the Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery were developed with input from expert physician panels and national organizations. With a goal of improving patient health and safety, the selection process includes a comprehensive evaluation of a facility’s volume, processes and outcome measures, including survival rates, post-surgical complications and sustained weight loss at two years after surgery. A focus in development of the Blue Distinction Centers is to reduce complications of treatment and surgery and therefore better manage costs.
“Blue Distinction brings transparency to healthcare—similar to what consumers expect when purchasing most goods and services today. It is the cornerstone of our ongoing effort to create a more consumer-focused, knowledge-driven national healthcare system,” said Scott Serota, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association President/CEO.
For more information about the Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction or call 1-800-676-BLUE. Not all Blue Plans provide benefits for bariatric surgery. Members and providers are encouraged to contact their local Blue Plan customer service representative who can explain coverage and determine how benefits apply.
To find out more about the bariatric surgery program at Silver Cross Hospital, attend a free informational session any Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Specialty Care Pavilion at the hospital, 1300 Copperfield Ave, in Joliet. Call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325) or visit www.silvercross.org to register to attend.