Mayo Clinic Hospital Designated a Blue Distinction Center for Transplants, Complex and Rare Cancers, Spine Surgery and Knee and Hip Replacement

Thursday, June 10, 2010

PHOENIX — As part of the expansion of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Blue Distinction program, Mayo Clinic Hospital has been designated a Blue Distinction Center for Transplants, Complex and Rare Cancers, Spine Surgery and Knee and Hip Replacement by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

"Blue Distinction puts a high value on research and evidence-based health and medical information," said Allan Korn, M.D., Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Chief Medical Officer. "Blue Distinction Centers show our commitment to working with doctors and hospitals in communities across the country to identify leading institutions that meet clinically validated quality standards and deliver better overall outcomes in patient care."

Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for patients. Mayo Clinic Hospital was required to meet stringent clinical criteria, established in collaboration with expert physician and medical organization recommendations and is subject to periodic reevaluation as selection criteria continue to evolve.

As a Blue Distinction Center for Transplants, Mayo Clinic Hospital provides a range of services for the following transplant types:

• Adult Autologous & Allogeneic Bone Morrow/Stem Cell
• Adult Liver
• Adult Pancreas (PTA-PAK)
• Adult Simultaneous Pancreas Kidney (SPK)

As a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers, Mayo Clinic Hospital provides a range of services for the following types of cancers:

• Bone — Primary
• Esophageal
• Gastric
• Head and Neck
• Liver — Primary
• Pancreatic
• Rectal

To be designated as a Blue Distinction Center, Mayo Clinic Hospital met facility selection criteria including:

• Full accreditation by The Joint Commission
• A comprehensive quality management program
• An established acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care, emergency and a full range of services
• For transplant, actively performing a required minimum volume of transplant procedures for the most recent 24-month period
• For Cancer, actively providing cancer services and performing a required minimum surgical volume for complex and rare cancer types

The Blue Distinction designation is awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality health care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery and transplants. The program is part of The Blues efforts to collaborate with physicians and medical facilities to improve the overall quality and safety of specialty care.

To request an appointment at Mayo Clinic, please call 480-422-1490 for the Arizona campus, 904-494-6484 for the Florida campus, or 507-216-4573 for the Minnesota campus.

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