Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center Earns Blue Distinction® Center+ Designation for Quality and Cost-Efficiency in Knee and Hip Replacement Surgeries

Palm Beach Gardens, FL – Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association [BCBSA] selects Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated healthcare 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.

“Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center is proud to be recognized by BCBSA for meeting the robust selection criteria for knee and hip replacements set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program”, said Teresa Urquhart, chief executive officer for Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. “This designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication our orthopedic medical staff provides to each patient who is treated at our hospital. We could not be more grateful for this accomplishment.”

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 hospital 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. In addition to meeting these quality thresholds, hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ are on average 20 percent more cost-efficient in an episode of care compared to other facilities. Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet nationally established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.

Go to Orthopedics page for more information about our orthopedics program and services or call 561-622-1411.