St. Luke's Named Blue Distinction Center+ for Hip and Knee Replacements
Posted on Apr 2, 2013
By St. Luke's, Duluth MN
St. Luke's has been recognized as a center of excellence for hip and
knee replacements.
The designation of Blue Distinction Center+ comes from Blue Cross and Blue
Shield, the health care coverage company based in Eagan, Minnesota.
It sets rigorous selection criteria to identify medical facilities that
have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality specialty care, including
robust quality measures focused on improved patient health and safety,
as well as new cost-efficiency measures.
Dr. John Watkins, of St. Luke's Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, said:
"This is a way patients can be reassured that external sources have
identified St. Luke's as achieving these goals in terms of quality
care and patient outcomes, in as cost-effective a manner as possible.
Every year that's very challenging, and it doesn't happen without
the whole institution working together."
He pointed to a team approach between departments including the orthopedics
clinic, orthopedic nursing floor, physical therapy, physical medicine
and rehabilitation and case management social workers, which helped ensure
great patient outcomes.
According to Blue Cross and Blue Shield, research confirms that the newly
designated Blue Distinction Centers+ demonstrate better quality and improved
outcomes for patients, with lower rates of complications and readmissions.
"I congratulate St Luke's who earned this distinction for 2013,
and I thank them for working with Blue Cross and advancing the health
of the people and communities that we serve together," said Dr. Larry
Lee, executive medical director for provider relations and quality at
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. "The rest of the nation
looks to Minnesota as a leader in providing high quality, affordable health
care, and I believe the Blue Distinction program is a significant contributor
to that leadership."