WICHITA – Wesley Medical Center has been named a Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac Care as part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas’ Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated providers that show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations. Wesley was one of only four hospitals in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas service area (103 of 105 Kansas counties) to receive Blue Distinction designation.
“Wesley’s cardiovascular services program provides better recovery outcomes for our patients than other hospitals and care facilities in our region,” said Dr. Francie Ekengren, Wesley Healthcare chief medical officer. “The designation represents what we at Wesley already know: We are the best hospital for cardiac care.”
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and is expected to claim more than 23.6 million lives annually by 2030. Blue Distinction Centers+ for Cardiac Care seek to empower patients with the knowledge and tools to find quality cardiac care.
To receive a Blue Distinction Center+ designation, Wesley demonstrated expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care, focusing on cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) episodes of care. Wesley also demonstrated better cost-efficiency compared to their peers.
Only those hospitals that first meet nationally established quality measures for Blue Distinction Centers are considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.
"We are honored to recognize Wesley for the quality cardiac care they provide our members, resulting in better outcomes and fewer complications," said Matt All, president/CEO. "To be named a Blue Distinction Center+ requires meeting rigorous quality metrics across their cardiac programs, making this designation challenging to earn, but all the more rewarding when it is."
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, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that compared to other providers, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients. On average, Blue Distinction Centers+ are also 20 percent more cost-efficient than non-Blue Distinction Center+ designated providers.
Wesley has previously received Blue Distinction recognition for its joint, spine and maternity care programs.
For more information about the Blue Distinction program and for a complete listing of the designated providers, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction. For more information about Wesley Medical Center and is cardiovascular services, please visit www.wesleymc.com.
Wesley Healthcare is the region’s leading acute-care hospital network providing a full range of diagnostic and treatment services for patients throughout Kansas and northern Oklahoma since 1912. As a leader in Overall Recommended Care in national surveys, Wesley Medical Center treats more than 24,000 patients annually and delivers more than 5,800 babies – more than any hospital in a 13-state region. Wesley provides the most extensive emergency network in Wichita, with Wesley ER, Wesley West ER, Wesley Woodlawn ER, the region’s only pediatric ER, Wesley Derby ER. Wesley owns and operates Wesley Medical Center, Wesley Woodlawn Hospital & ER and Wesley Children’s Hospital. To learn more about Wesley Healthcare, please visit www.wesleymc.com.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
For more than 75 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas has built a reputation of trust with its members and contracting providers by providing outstanding customer service while quickly and accurately processing claims; fairly administering benefit plans and contracts; offering programs, services and tools to help members improve or maintain their health; and operating under the highest ethical standards while being good stewards of premium dollars. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and is the state’s largest insurer, serving all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte. For more information, visit bcbsks.com.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. BCBSA provides health care insights through Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Health of America Report® series and the national BCBS Health IndexSM. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit BCBS.com. We also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube and follow us on Twitter.