PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island Hospital last week was named as a “Blue Distinction Center” for bariatric surgery by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, the only hospital in the state to be recognized as part of a national program recognizing top-quality hospitals.
The Blue Distinction designation is coordinated by the Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association. To qualify for the bariatric surgery designation, hospitals must meet several criteria, including quality measures developed with doctors and medical organizations. They include:
Offering a full-service inpatient hospital facility.
Being fully accredited by The Joint Commission.
Performing a required volume of bariatric surgeries in the past 12 months.
Being staffed by an experienced and appropriately credentialed bariatric surgical team.
Being supported by appropriate staffing and equipment.
Establishing documented policies and procedures for patient care and follow-up.
Demonstrating a commitment to quality improvement, as demonstrated by ongoing quality management and improvement programs.
Bariatric surgery is a complex procedure and particularly risky because it involves patients who are morbidly obese and therefore face increased surgical risks as well as psychosocial challenges. Under the direction of Dr. G. Dean Roye, Rhode Island Hospital’s program has treated successfully more than 1,500 bariatric surgery patients since 2000.
Rhode Island Hospital’s program also employs the state’s first certified bariatric nurse, Kellie Armstrong.
The Blue Distinction Centers are part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s efforts to collaborate with providers to improve the overall quality and affordability of specialty care.
Rhode Island Hospital, a member of the Lifespan health system, is the largest teaching hospital of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, a major trauma center for the region, and a major provider of specialty care. For more information, go to www.rhodeislandhospital.org.For more information about the Blue Distinction Centers program, go to www.bcbs.com/innovations/bluedistinction.
