PHILADELPHIA, April 18, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Comprehensive Bariatric Surgery Program at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, a not-for-profit teaching hospital and Blue Distinction Center®, was recently recognized as a top performing bariatric program for having one of the lowest rates of preventable avoidable complications (PACs) in the country. The Crozer program, which offers minimally invasive procedures like gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bands, demonstrated the best year-over-year performance in bariatric surgery based on Potentially Avoidable Complications (PAC) analysis conducted by Blue Health Intelligence (BHI®), the nation's premier health intelligence resource, in collaboration with Independence Blue Cross and other participating Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.
To determine the best-performing facilities in bariatric surgery based on PAC analysis, 214 facilities were considered. During the three-year period that BHI looked at, Crozer experienced lower than average complications and exhibited excellent safety results, a low readmission rate and a competitive average cost of care. Crozer's potentially avoidable complication rate was just 0.04 percent compared to a nationwide average of 6.7 percent.
"We're very honored to have our program recognized for excellent clinical care," says Leon Katz, M.D., F.A.C.S., medical director of the Comprehensive Bariatric Surgery Program. "Crozer's bariatric surgery team is dedicated to helping people lose weight — and keep it off. Our friendly and experienced team works very hard to assist patients every step of the way, from nutrition counseling to support services after patients leave the medical center."
According to BHI, executives and clinical staff at Crozer identified various key factors in the program's success. For instance, the program design includes a team of dedicated staff and facility to address the unique needs of the patients, monthly safety committee meetings with an established high reliability culture, and clinical practice guidelines to drive increased quality. Ongoing patient support and interaction is another key factor to Crozer's demonstrated success. Distribution of e-newsletters, patient satisfaction surveys, and mentoring teams also helped to keep patients actively engaged and knowledgeable.
Crozer also has been recognized by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery. Blue Distinction is a national designation program, developed in collaboration with the medical community to recognize those facilities that demonstrate expertise in delivering quality specialty care – safely and efficiently.
"With access to a wealth of data and with professional relationships across the health care community, Independence Blue Cross is uniquely positioned to identify and promote best practices in clinical care," says Richard Snyder, Chief Medical Officer at Independence Blue Cross. "We are pleased to contribute to BHI's effective analytics by providing claims information needed for BHI's analysis and comparison of leading bariatric programs across the country which can aid members when making decisions about their care. We have long supported physicians and hospitals in practicing evidence-based medicine and it is rewarding to see that Crozer Chester Medical Center has emerged as having a very high quality bariatric surgery program."
"BHI's analysis of Crozer-Chester Medical Center is an example of how BHI's analytics can help transform the healthcare system by delivering data-driven information about healthcare trends and best practices resulting in healthier lives and affordable access to safe and effective care," said Swati Abbott, BHI CEO. "BHI congratulates Crozer for its continued efforts in delivering safe, quality care to its patients."
For more information about the Comprehensive Bariatric Surgery Program at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, visit http://bariatricsurgery.crozerkeystone.org or call (610) 619-8450. The program invites anyone interested in learning more to attend one of its Surgical Weight Loss Educational Seminars and to register by phone or on the website.
About Crozer-Chester Medical Center
Crozer-Chester Medical Center is a 424-bed not-for-profit, tertiary-care teaching hospital in Upland, Pa. The medical center is part of the Crozer-Keystone Health System, the largest employer and health care provider in Delaware County, which is located west of Philadelphia. Crozer features the county's only trauma and burn centers, a regional cancer center, a regional kidney transplant center, a Level III intensive care nursery and advanced outpatient, surgical and acute care services. For more information, visit www.crozerkeystone.org.
About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, Independence Blue Cross and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.1 million people. For 74 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered high-quality health care coverage tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, and health care professionals. Independence Blue Cross's HMO and PPO health care plans have consistently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit us at ibx.com. Fan us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter@ibx.
About Blue Health Intelligence®
Blue Health Intelligence (BHI®) is the nation's premiere health intelligence resource, delivering data-driven insights about healthcare trends and best practices, resulting in healthier lives and more affordable access to safe and effective care. BHI accesses healthcare claims data from more than 110 million individuals nationwide, collected over seven years, in a safe, HIPAA compliant and secure database. The resulting conformed, reliable data set has the broadest, deepest pool of integrated medical and pharmacy claims, reflecting medical utilization in every ZIP code. Blue Health Intelligence (BHI) is a trade name of Health Intelligence Company, LLC. BHI is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.For more information, visit http://www.bluehealthintelligence.com/.