UF Health Jacksonville Receives Blue Distinction Center Designation for Quality
Florida Blue has named UF Health Jacksonville as a Blue Distinction Center in the areas of knee and hip replacement. The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program is a national designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality specialty care—and has recently been expanded to include more robust quality measures focused on improved patient health and safety.
Since 2006, consumers, medical providers and employers have relied on the Blue Distinction program to identify hospitals delivering quality care in bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery and transplants. The selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed with input from the medical community and include general quality and safety metrics as well as program specific metrics. UF Health Jacksonville is proud to have met the rigorous selection criteria that have been set by the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program.
Blue Distinction Centers have met rigorous program standards and demonstrated better quality and improved outcomes for patients, with low rates of complications and readmissions. The program provides consumers with tools to make better informed healthcare decisions, and these results will enable employers, working with their local Blue Plan, to tailor benefits to meet their individual quality objectives.
About UF Health Jacksonville
UF Health Jacksonville is a private, not-for-profit hospital affiliated with the University of Florida Health Science Center campuses in Jacksonville and Gainesville. Formerly UF&Shands Jacksonville, the organization combines the expertise of University of Florida faculty, residents and fellows along with caregivers and other employees who provide state-of-the-art services to residents throughout northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. This academic medical center’s mission is to heal, comfort and educate in an environment where exemplary medical care is complemented by outstanding service.
Blue Distinction® Centers met overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community. Blue Distinction® Centers+ also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable health care. Individual outcomes may vary. National criteria is displayed on www.bcbs.com. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for facilities located in its own service area. To find out which services and providers (including hospital based physicians) are covered under your policy, or to learn about Local Blue Plan Criteria, contact your Local Blue Plan; and contact your provider before making an appointment to verify its current Network and Blue Distinction Centers status. Each hospital’s Cost Index is calculated separately, based on data from its Local Blue Plan. Hospitals in portions of CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in areas served by two Local Blue Plans, resulting in two Cost Index figures; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether all hospitals in these areas must meet Blue Distinction Centers+ national criteria for one or both Cost Index figures. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for damages, losses, or non-covered charges resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers. To find out more, contact your Local Blue Plan.