HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Highmark West Virginia has recognized St. Mary’s Medical Center as one of the first hospitals in the nation to receive a Blue Distinction Center+SM designation in the area of cardiac care, 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. This year, the national program has added a new designation level, Blue Distinction Centers+, to recognize hospitals that deliver both quality and cost-efficient specialty care.

In 2006, the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program was developed to help patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. To receive a Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac CareSM designation, a hospital must demonstrate success in meeting both general quality and safety criteria (such as preventing hospital-acquired infections) and cardiac-specific quality measures (related to lower rates of complications and death following cardiac surgery; and non-surgical procedures, such as cardiac stent placement) and, additionally, must show better cost efficiency relative to their peers.

Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet Blue Distinction’s nationally established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.

St. Mary’s Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Highmark West Virginia for meeting the rigorous cardiac care selection criteria set by the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program.

“The Blue Distinction Center+ designation for Cardiac Care validates St. Mary’s position as a leader in cardiac care in the Tri-State,” said Regina Campbell, RN, MSN, director of the St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute. “Our team of dedicated physicians and staff work collaboratively to ensure the delivery of quality outcomes for our patients. We are honored to be recognized with this designation.”