Temple University Hospital Designated Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care
In an effort to help prospective parents find hospitals that deliver quality, cost-efficient maternity care, Independence Blue Cross announced that Temple University Hospital has been designated as one of the first hospitals to receive the Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care designation, a new designation under the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
Nearly four million babies are born in the U.S. annually, making childbirth the most common cause of hospitalization. This new Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care program evaluates hospitals on several quality measures, including the percentage of newborns that fall into the category of early elective delivery, an ongoing concern in the medical community. Compared with babies born 39 weeks or later, early term infants face higher risks of infant death and respiratory ailments such as respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, and respiratory failure, among other conditions. These babies also have a higher rate of admission to neonatal intensive care units.
In addition, hospitals that receive a Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care designation agreed to meet requirements that align with principles that support evidence-based practices of care, as well as having initiated programs to promote successful breastfeeding, as described in the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative by Baby-Friendly USA or the Mother-Friendly Hospital program by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) through its “Ten Steps of Mother-Friendly Care.” The program also evaluates hospitals on overall patient satisfaction, including a willingness to recommend the hospital to others.
Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care, an expansion of the national Blue Distinction Specialty Care program, are hospitals recognized for delivering quality specialty care safely and effectively, based on objective measures developed with input from the medical community.
“Temple is proud to be recognized with this distinction by Independence Blue Cross,” says Verdi J. DiSesa, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Temple University Hospital, Chief Operating Officer of Temple University Health System and Senior Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. “Temple is committed to quality maternity care and this recognition further confirms the expertise that Temple’s maternity care team offers to its patients and prospective patients.”
“We’re pleased to recognize Temple University Hospital for its proven expertise in providing high-quality, safe, and effective care to new and expectant mothers and their children,” said Richard L. Snyder, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Independence Blue Cross. “Together, we’re working towards improving the health and wellness of our members and the community.”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies across the nation have recognized more than 280 hospitals as Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care. Hospitals recognized for these designations were assessed using a combination of publicly available quality information and cost measures derived from BCBS companies’ medical claims.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery and transplants. Research shows that, compared to other facilities, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients.
For more information about the program, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.