Delray Beach, FL – Blue Cross and Shield Association (BCBSA) selects Delray Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers® are nationally designated health care facilities that show a commitment to delivering high-quality care, patient safety, and better health outcomes, based on objective measures developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.

“We are honored to be selected as a Blue Distinction Center for the notable outcomes our patients have after spine surgery.  Choosing a hospital is a major decision for our patients, and accolades such as this help them make informed choices,” said Maggie Gill, chief executive officer for the Palm Beach Health Network and Delray Medical Center. “This prestigious, national designation is a well-deserved recognition of the compassionate care our dedicated clinicians provide.”

Spinal surgeries are one of the most frequent types of elective surgeries in the U.S. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), there were more than 463,000 spinal fusion operations conducted in the U.S. in 2014, a procedure commonly done in the lumbar region of the lower back to treat back pain. Hospital costs for a fusion procedure average $28,9001, according to AHRQ.

Facilities designated as Blue Distinction Centers® for Spine Surgery demonstrate expertise in cervical and lumbar fusion, cervical laminectomy, and lumbar laminectomy/discectomy procedures, resulting in fewer patient complications and readmissions compared to other hospitals. All designated facilities must maintain national accreditation.

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 and transplants. Research for many of these programs shows that, compared to other providers, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate high-quality and improved outcomes for patients.

Delray Medical Center is proud to be recognized by BCBSA for meeting the robust selection criteria for spine surgery set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. For more information about Delray Medical Center’s orthopedic services, or to speak with our orthopedic navigator, click here or call 561-637-5197.