St. Peter’s Hospital, an affiliate of St. Peter’s Health Partners (SPHP), has been designated a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by BlueShield of Northeastern New York, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated providers that show expertise in delivering improved 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.
“Many thanks and congratulations to everyone on the Cardiac and Vascular team at St. Peter’s Hospital for earning this prestigious Blue Distinction Center designation,” said Michael Finegan, president of acute care at SPHP. “This distinction is the latest honor recognizing St. Peter’s Hospital for its outstanding performance in caring for patients with heart disease. This culture of excellence is a direct reflection of the dedication, compassion, and clinical skill of our talented physicians, nurses, and colleagues.”
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and is expected to claim more than 23.6 million lives annually by 2030. Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care seek to empower patients with the knowledge and tools to find quality cardiac care. To receive a Blue Distinction Center designation, hospitals must demonstrate expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care, focusing on cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) episodes of care.
Hospitals recognized with this designation are assessed using a combination of quality information supplied by hospitals and third-party data registries, and cost measures derived from Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies’ medical claims.
St. Peter’s Hospital Cardiac and Vascular Center
Since opening in 1985, St. Peter’s Cardiac and Vascular Center has been recognized for excellence by health and heart care organizations across the country. Led by a premier team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and vascular specialists, the center is a leader in the Capital Region and one of the most active centers in New York state for the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of individuals with cardiac and vascular disease.
St. Peter’s Hospital is among the top 10 percent of America’s Heart Surgery Hospitals (Society of Thoracic Surgeons); a recipient of Women’s Choice Award for America’s Best Hospitals in Heart Care since 2015; listed among the top six hospitals in the northeastern United States for outcomes from both heart bypass surgery and aortic valve replacement (Consumer Reports); and a designated Heart and Stroke Emergency Center by the New York State Department of Health.
Learn more about cardiac and vascular services at St. Peter’s Hospital at: http://www.sphp.com/cardiac-vascular-sph
Blue Distinction
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty 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, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that compared to other providers, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients.
For more information about the program and for a complete list of designated doctors and medical facilities, please visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
