West Burlington, Iowa, May 3, 2018 – Great River Medical is one of
18 Iowa hospitals to receive Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Blue
Distinction® Center+ for Maternity Care designation under the Blue Distinction Specialty
Care program. The designation helps prospective parents find hospitals
that deliver quality, affordable maternity care.
Nearly 4 million babies are born in the U.S. annually, making childbirth
the most common cause of hospitalization, and cesarean section the most
common operating room procedure, according to National Centers for Health
Statistics and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality.
Reducing early elective delivery is an area of focus for the American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
According to Health Affairs, elective inductions result in more cesarean
deliveries and a longer maternal hospitalization. The Blue Distinction
Centers for Maternity Care program evaluates hospitals on quality measures
for vaginal and cesarean delivery.
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) companies across the nation have recognized
more than 1,000 hospitals as Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care.
Hospitals recognized with this designation are assessed using a combination
of quality information supplied by hospitals and cost measures derived
from BCBS companies’ medical claims.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients
find quality specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer
care, cardiac care, maternity care, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery
and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve
the care they deliver. Research shows that, compared to other hospitals,
those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality
and improved outcomes for patients.
For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the
designated facilities, please visit
www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
About Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Wellmark, Inc. (Wellmark.com) does business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Wellmark
and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including Wellmark Blue
Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc.,
Wellmark Synergy Health, Inc. and Wellmark Value Health Plan, Inc., insure
or pay health benefit claims for more than 2 million members in Iowa and
South Dakota. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Wellmark Blue
Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc.,
Wellmark Synergy Health, Inc. and Wellmark Value Health Plan, Inc. are
independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross 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. We also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on
YouTube, follow us on
Twitter and check out ourblog.
About Blue Distinction Centers
Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures for patient
safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community.
A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for providers located
in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue
Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’
need for affordable health care. Each provider’s cost of care is
evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Providers in CA, ID, NY,
PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in
two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide
whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national
criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on
bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in-network
status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan
and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross
and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for non-covered
charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or
other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction
or other providers.