MCG Health System has been selected to be a part of the Georgia Blue Cross Blue Shield centers of clinical excellence in cardiovascular services and transplantation.  Blue Distinction is a nationwide program launched by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association to create an unprecedented level of health care transparency with two goals:  engaging consumers to enable more informed decisions, and collaborating with health care providers to improve quality outcomes and affordability.  The Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants program was first established in 1991 and the Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care program was announced last month. 

The criteria for being a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care include:

• Full-service, accredited inpatient hospital facility.
• Program must be performing a required volume of percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass graft surgeries, and provide a full range of services such as inpatient cardiac care and cardiac rehabilitation.
• Sub-specialty board certification of members of the cardiac team.
• Ongoing quality management and improvement programs.
• Cardiac care processes and outcomes for acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, including evaluation of complication and mortality rates.

“We selected each of the centers based on a rigorous evaluation of clinical data that provides insight into each facility’s structure, processes and care outcomes.  Participating hospitals and health systems must meet stringent requirements based on objective clinical and quality data - not claims or administrative data.  The nationally established criteria were developed with input from medical experts and organizations.  The criteria support each facility doing consistent, objective assessments of their specialty care capabilities,” said Caz Matthews, President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia.  “Blue Distinction is the only program that offers a nationwide and comprehensive approach to specialty centers.”

“Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia is the largest of the commercial and managed care providers in the state, so it is important to be in the network of selected facilities to receive referrals,” said Don Snell, MCGHI President and CEO.  “We are proud that we met the rigorous criteria that scrutinize clinical outcomes.”

MCG Health System is composed of three separate organizations -- MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the members of the MCG Physicians Practice Group Foundation.  The physicians of MCG Health System are community physicians, faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia or employees of the MCG Physicians Practice Group Foundation, not employees of MCG Health Inc.  MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Medical Center, MCG Children’s Medical Center, the MCG Sports Medicine Center, MCG Ambulatory Care Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by providing an environment for faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the MCG Physicians Practice Group Foundation and community physicians to deliver the highest level of primary and specialty health care.  For more information, please visit www.MCGHealth.org.