SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska has selected Regional West Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Regional West Medical Center is one of four hospitals in Nebraska to receive the distinction and the only one in Western Nebraska. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated healthcare facilities shown to deliver improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies with input from the medical community.

Spinal surgeries are one of the most frequent types of elective surgeries in the U.S. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there were more than 465,000 spinal fusion operations in the U.S. in 2011, a procedure commonly done in the lumbar region of the lower back to treat back pain.

Hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery demonstrate expertise in cervical and lumbar fusion, cervical laminectomy and lumbar laminectomy/discectomy procedures, resulting in fewer patient complications and hospital readmissions compared to other hospitals. Designated hospitals must also maintain national accreditation to be designated.

Regional West Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska for meeting the rigorous selection criteria for spine surgery set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

“Neurosurgery and spine surgery is a vital component to the continuum of care provided at Regional West. It is because of experts like our neurosurgeons that we are able to provide excellent neurosurgical services to our patients,” said John Mentgen, Regional West President and CEO.

Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, maternity care, spine surgery, and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is pleased to announce that Regional West Medical Center has been designated a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery. This facility consistently delivers high quality outcomes for our members needing specialized spine procedures, and we’re happy to have them in our provider network,” Deb Esser, MD, Quality Medical Director said.

“We believe in using a team approach to provide the best care. Regional West Physicians Clinic offers the expertise of specialists in Rehabilitation Medicine, Pain Medicine, Psychiatry  and Behavioral Health services, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery and other allied services working together, all under one roof, to provide excellent care,” said Omar Jimenez, MD, Regional West Physicians Clinic-Neurosurgery & Spine Center.

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

¹Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 182-bed regional referral center and one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 providers, and over 2,000 employees, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is a community-based, member-owned health insurance company serving Nebraskans for more than 75 years. BCBSNE is committed to providing stability and security to Nebraska families and is leading the way in supporting patient-focused care. We’re the state’s largest health insurance company, and the only one headquartered in Nebraska. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 105 million members – one-in-three Americans.  For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog, for up-to-date information about BCBSA.

About Blue Distinction Centers

Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for facilities located in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable health care. Each facility’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Facilities in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in-network status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for non-covered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.