TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Twelve Idaho hospitals and medical centers have been designated as Blue Distinction® Centers or Blue Distinction Centers+ for Maternity Care by Blue Cross of Idaho as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

The Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care program plays a key role in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s (BCBSA) National Health Equity Strategy aimed at reducing racial health disparities across the care spectrum and improving patient outcomes for all Americans.

There are 48 acute care or critical access hospitals in Idaho. Blue Cross of Idaho holds a contract with all. VA hospitals are not included in this total.

Hospitals in the Magic Valley – (6)

St. Luke’s Magic Valley Regional Medical Center – Twin Falls, ID

North Canyon Medical Center – Gooding, ID

Minidoka Memorial Hospital – Rupert, ID

Cassia Regional Hospital – Burley, ID

St. Luke’s Jerome Medical Center – Jerome, ID

St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center – Ketchum, ID

Urgent Cares in the Magic Valley – (6)

Sterling Urgent Care – Hailey, ID

Urgent Care of Jerome – Jerome, ID

Urgent Care of Twin Falls – Twin Falls, ID

Physician’s Immediate Care – Twin Falls, Burley, ID

Falls Avenue Immediate Care – Twin Falls, ID

Riverview Urgent Care – Burley, ID

“Blue Cross of Idaho is pleased to recognize these 12 facilities across the state for being named as Blue Distinction® Centers or Blue Distinction Centers+,” said John Worley, Vice President of Provider Operations for Blue Cross of Idaho. “Idaho families expecting a new baby can rest assured that they will receive the highest quality maternity care. We are proud to partner with these hospitals and medical centers to help strengthen their commitment to new mothers and improve maternal health disparities across the state. We look forward to working with them in the future.”

Based on national data from the current designation cycle, facilities designated under the Maternity Care program demonstrate higher-quality care compared to non-Blue Distinction Center facilities, with overall average rates of 26% lower episiotomies, 60% fewer elective deliveries and 17% lower cesarean births—all of which point to healthier outcomes for patients.

The Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care program’s selection criteria was devised to close clinical care gaps and reduce inequities that persist throughout the maternal care spectrum. The selection criteria includes components of BCBSA’s Maternal Health Equity Actions, which dismantle the cultural, operational and structural barriers that created inequities in maternal care.

To be designated under this program, each applicant facility was evaluated on a combination of objective data on patient outcomes as well as the practices implemented to reduce racial disparities and improve maternal health outcomes, such as:

· Using evidence-based best practices to respond effectively to obstetric emergencies

· Offering unconscious bias training

· Participating in the regional Perinatal Quality Collaborative

· Having doula support available on the maternity care team

· Collecting race, ethnicity and language data

· Having a program dedicated to quality improvements in maternal care

· Running drills and simulations to prepare providers to deal with a range of obstetric emergencies

· Demonstrating health outcomes that exceed the selection criteria from our program’s previous evaluation cycle

To further drive improvements to maternal care, BCBSA will be working closely with Blue Cross of Idaho to encourage facilities to implement performance improvement activities that will enhance their maternity care programs and improve patient outcomes.

“It is time to raise the bar. Everyone deserves to have higher-quality care at every stage of their pregnancy,” said Erin Barney, BCBSA’s vice president of Network Solutions. “Facilities that earned a Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care designation have proven that they deliver higher-quality maternity care and are committed to reducing maternal health disparities that are often treatable and preventable. Closing clinical care gaps is a joint effort, and we are proud to recognize facilities that put insights into action, creating a more equitable system of health for all.”

Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care at lower costs in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, gene therapy, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver.

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