Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana has selected Willis-Knighton Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers® are nationally designated healthcare facilities that meet quality standards and have proven to deliver quality care with safe practices that lead to better health outcomes for patients.

In the United States, one person dies every 34 seconds from a cardiovascular disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care empower patients with the information they need to choose quality, in-network cardiac care. To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care designation, health care facilities must demonstrate expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care for:

• Percutaneous coronary interventions
• Coronary artery bypass graft
• Aortic valve replacement

Healthcare facilities recognized as Blue Distinction Centers are assessed using quality information supplied by third-party data registries, which are evaluated based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.

Willis-Knighton is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana for meeting the robust selection criteria for cardiac care set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

Nationally, Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care are providing quality care for patients and have lower in-hospital mortality rates and lower bleeding complication rates for angioplasty than non-Blue Distinction Centers. Designated facilities also meet national standards, with patients facing fewer readmissions and mortality rates for coronary artery bypass graft procedures and heart attacks, compared to facilities that do not meet the criteria.

“We are honored to be recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield for providing high quality cardiac care to the community. Heart disease touches the lives of so many Americans. Our excellent staff and physicians not only provide outstanding care, we are dedicated to expanding treatment for common and complex cardiac conditions through innovation, state-of-the-art technology and community education,” says Damarcus Davis, administrator of Willis-Knighton Heart & Vascular Institute.

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, substance use treatment and recovery, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver.

For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities, please visit ***.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.