Sierra Vista Earns Blue Distinction status for Spine Surgery

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center has been awarded the prestigious Blue Distinction+ (Plus) status for Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery as well as Spine Surgery. Blue Distinction+ is a Specialty Care recognition developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to identify health care facilities with proven expertise in delivering specialty care.

The evaluation criteria include the expertise of the medical team, the number of times the facility has performed the procedure and, the facility’s track record for procedure results. Only those health care facilities that first meet nationally established, objective quality measures for Blue Distinction Centers are considered for designation. Blue Distinction and Blue Distinction+ centers provide comprehensive inpatient services.

Using objective information and input from the medical community, Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies have designated hospitals for hip and knee replacement surgery as Blue Distinction Centers which are proven to outperform their peers in areas such as quality, safety and in the case of Blue Distinction+ centers, efficiency.

Research confirms that hospitals designated Blue Distinction and Blue Distinction+ Centers for spine surgery have fewer complications and fewer hospital readmissions than non-designated hospitals.  

Sierra Vista has been designated by Blue Cross Blue Shield as a Blue Distinction+ Center for spine surgery for many years. This is the first time the hospital has achieved the honor for hip and knee replacement.