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News Releases Palmetto Health Richland Total Joint Has Been Designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement 01/27/2010 Palmetto Health Richland Total Joint Has Been Designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement Columbia, SC—Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina has designated Palmetto Health Richland Total Joint Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement. Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement are part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s expansion of its Blue Distinction® designation. John Singerling Jr., Palmetto Health Richland COO, said, “It’s always our goal to ensure that our patients get the highest quality care. Working toward this designation afforded us the opportunity continue to evaluate our care against others around the country. Achieving this designation reinforces the dedication and expertise of the staff and physicians in The Total Joint Center.” Kim J. Chillag, M.D, physician with Moore Orthopedics Clinic, added “The Total Joint Center has been successful because of dedicated people who work in a coordinated system specifically tailored for joint replacement patients.” Palmetto Health Richland’s Total Joint Center offers comprehensive and knee and hip replacement services. Important facts about the Center include: •It performs more joint replacement surgeries and has more experience than any other central South Carolina hospital. •The Center has been a role model for visiting hospitals from throughout the United States. •Its’ excellent care is based on proven best practice and evidence-based medicine. •The Center employs a truly multi-disciplinary team of professionals including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, case management, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists and home health. This team coordinated closely with physicians. •The center has a 99 patient satisfaction as measured by Press Ganey. •It has a unique partnership with Historic Columbia Foundation for programs and special events. “Local South Carolina medical facilities with the Blue Distinction® designation are making a difference in health care outcomes and value,” said Dr. John Little, BlueCross’ chief medical officer. “We congratulate Palmetto Health Richland on putting a high value on research and evidence-based health and medical information and achieving the clinically validated quality standards needed to be named a Blue Distinction hospital.” The selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed with input from a panel of expert physicians. To be designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement, the following types of criteria were evaluated. More information on selection criteria is available on www.bcbs.com: •Established acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care, emergency care, and a full range of patient support services with full accreditation by a CMS-deemed national accreditation organization •Experience and training of program surgeons, including case volume • Quality management programs, including surgical checklists as well as tracking and evaluation of clinical outcomes and process of care •Multi-disciplinary clinical pathways and teams to coordinate and streamline care, including transitions of care •Shared decision making and preoperative patient education The Blue Distinction designation is awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery and transplants. The program is part of The Blues® efforts to collaborate with physicians and medical facilities to improve the overall quality and safety of specialty care. The additional Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement designations will bring the nation’s number of Blue Distinction designations to more than 1,600—and this number is expected to increase in the coming years. About Palmetto Health Palmetto Health is the region’s most integrated health system in which a progressive environment, the latest technology, including research and treatment protocols, goes hand-in-hand with quality patient care. Palmetto Health is composed of four outstanding hospitals—Palmetto Health Baptist, Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, Palmetto Health Heart Hospital, Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia, SC—and serves as the primary teaching hospital for the University of South Carolina. Palmetto Health’s hospitals are highly respected, long-time community members. Each year, they treat nearly a half million patients, welcome more than 6,000 babies into the world, treat more than 80,000 pediatric patients, 3,000 cancer patients, accommodate 160,000 Emergency department visits and make nearly 50,000 home care visits. Employing more than 8,000, Palmetto Health is one of the state’s largest non-governmental employers. About BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (www.SouthCarolinaBlues.com) is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The only South Carolina-owned and operated health insurance carrier, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and its family of companies include more than 20 subsidiaries involved in health insurance services, U.S. DoD health program and Medicare contracts, and other insurance and employee benefits services. 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 a member’s policy at any facilities, they should call their Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.