Baptist Health System Hospitals Earn Blue Distinction® Center Designation for Quality in Knee and Hip Replacement Surgeries

BlueCross BlueShield of Texas has selected five Baptist Health System Hospitals as Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. The hospitals earning this designation include Baptist Medical Center, Northeast Baptist, North Central Baptist, Mission Trail Baptist and Resolute Health Hospital. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated health care facilities that show a commitment to delivering high-quality patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.

“Baptist Health System strives to provide safe, high quality care with patient experience second to none,” said Matt Stone, Baptist Health System group CEO. “Being recognized for this distinction in knee and hip replacement surgery means our commitment to these standards is paying off for patients who trust us for this care.”

Facilities designated as Blue Distinction Centers® for Knee and Hip Replacement demonstrate expertise in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, resulting in fewer patient complications and readmissions. Designated facilities include hospitals (with and without an onsite Intensive Care Unit) and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC). All designated facilities must maintain national accreditation and ASCs are also required to have an advanced orthopedic certification.

"Blue Distinction Center designations in the area of Hip and Knee Replacement speaks to our commitment to high quality patient care and superior surgical outcomes for joint replacement patients," said Dr. Brad Tolin, Orthopedic Surgeon with TSAOG Orthopaedics and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics for Baptist Health System.

Knee and hip replacement procedures remain some of the most commonly performed, elective surgical procedures in the U.S., according to a 2018 study released by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. In 2014 there were 370,770 total hip replacements and 680,150 total knee replacements1.

Baptist Health System is proud to be recognized by BlueCross BlueShield of Texas for meeting the robust selection criteria for knee and hip replacements set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

The Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, gene therapy, knee and hip replacements, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery. Research for many of these programs shows that, compared to other providers, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate higher-quality and improved outcomes for patients.