Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois recognizes NCH for quality in cardiac care

Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) was recently designated a Blue Distinction® Center+ for cardiac care from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as part of the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program. Blue Distinction Centers are hospitals shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective, transparent measures for patient safety and health outcomes that were developed with input from the medical community.

To receive the Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care designation, NCH demonstrated expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care in cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) episodes of care. NCH also excelled in cardiac quality, as measured by lower rates of complications and death following cardiac surgery, according to Blue Cross and Blue Shield. NCH is one of 22 Blue Distinction® Centers+ for cardiac care in Illinois.

In addition to meeting established quality thresholds, NCH also demonstrated better cost-efficiency compared to peer hospitals. On average, facilities designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac Care are 20 percent more cost efficient in an episode of care compared to non-Blue Distinction Center+ designated healthcare facilities.

"This designation emphasizes the NCH cardiac care team's dedication to excellence in health outcomes and commitment to patient care," says Bonnie DeGrande, Executive Director, Surgical Services, Cardiovascular and Diabetes Services at NCH. "NCH has shown our commitment to fighting heart disease by continuously improving and investing in advanced technologies."

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming more than 610,000 lives each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. By 2030, 40.5 percent of the U.S. population is projected to have some form of cardiovascular disease, and the cost of cardiac care is expected to reach $818 billion - an almost 300 percent increase from 2010, according to the American Heart Association. The Blue Distinction Specialty Care program seeks to reduce this burden by empowering patients with the knowledge and tools to find both quality and value for their cardiac care.

NCH also is a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Blue Distinction® Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement.