Designation recognizes high-quality, safe specialty care
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – In April, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska recognized Cardiovascular Services at Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC) for demonstrating expertise in delivering quality specialty care safely and effectively, naming PAMC a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care.
Health care facilities earn Blue Distinction Center designation by meeting nationally established criteria and objective measures developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations. The goal of the program is to help consumers find both quality and value for their specialty care needs while encouraging health care professionals to improve the overall quality and delivery of care.
“This designation is a true honor and a testament to our cardiac services team,” said Ella Goss, MSN, RN, chief executive at PAMC. “At Providence, we are committed to serving all while offering the best possible care to our patients.”
PAMC is the only hospital in Alaska to achieve the designation for cardiac care. A complete list of providers is available at bcbs.com/blue-distinction-center/facility.
“At Premera, we focus on making health care work better, and the Blue Distinction designation lets customers know Providence Alaska Medical Center is delivering the care they need while avoiding unnecessary tests and procedures,” said Lee McGrath, senior vice president for Provider Strategy & Solutions, Healthcare Services, at Premera.
Designated cardiac care facilities provide a full range of inpatient cardiac care services including coronary artery bypass graft surgery, heart valve surgery and angioplasty. Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care demonstrate better quality care and improved patient outcomes, including lower complication rates following certain cardiac procedures.
The Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality 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, substance use treatment and recovery and transplants. Research for many of these programs shows that those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients.
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About Providence Alaska Medical Center
Providence Alaska Medical Center, a nationally recognized trauma center and Alaska’s only Magnet hospital, is part of Providence St. Joseph Health, a not-for-profit network of hospitals, care centers, health plans, physicians, clinics, home health services, affiliated services and educational facilities. For more information about PAMC, visit: alaska.providence.org.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross and 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 The Health of America Report series and the national BCBS Health Index. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit BCBS.com or connect with BCBSA on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
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