The hip, knee and spine surgery programs at both Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, R.I., and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence, R.I., have been awarded Blue Distinction Center status by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island, according to the RWMC Newsroom.
Here are five highlights:
1. The two CharterCARE hospitals were chosen for the designations following a comprehensive review of each facility's spine surgery and knee and hip replacement programs.
2. Roger Williams received initial designation in these specialties in 2011 and was re-designated in 2013.
3. Our Lady of Fatima was designated as a Blue Distinction Center for spine surgery in 2013 and is receiving the hip and knee designation for the first time.
4. Since 2006, the Blue Distinction program has recognized facilities that meet objective, evidence-based thresholds for clinical quality, developed in collaboration with expert physicians and medical organizations.
5. The Blue Distinction Center program was developed with input from the medical community and evaluates hospitals on their ability to deliver high quality and safe specialty care based on criteria (such as surgical team expertise and a history of better patient outcomes) that directly impacts patient results.