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Good Samaritan Medical Center Has Been Designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement^SM

March 4, 2010

BROCKTON — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts has designated Good Samaritan Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement. Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement are part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s expansion of its Blue Distinction® designation.

“This distinction offers wonderful assurance for our patients that are going to receive the safest and highest quality of care,” said Good Samaritan Medical Center President Steven R. Gordon.

Arthritis & Total Joint Replacement Specialists

Good Samaritan Medical Center offers comprehensive knee and hip replacement services, including total joint replacement of arthritic knees, hips, shoulders and other joints. With its affiliation with Orthopedic Care Specialists, Good Samaritan Medical Center also offers patients an expertise in hand, wrist and upper extremity surgery, sports medicine and complex arthroscopic reconstruction and trauma and complex fractures.

“Improving quality of care is integral to transforming the health care system,” said Dr. John Fallon, Chief Physician Executive at BCBSMA. “Facilities like Good Samaritan are helping Massachusetts achieve this by ensuring patients receive the safest, most effective specialty care.”

“Blue Distinction puts a high value on research and evidence-based health and medical information,” said Allan Korn, MD, 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.”

The selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed with input from a panel of expert physicians. To be designated as Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement, the following types of criteria were evaluated. More information on selection criteria is available on www.bcbs.com:

• Established acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care, emergency care, and a full range of patient support services with full accreditation by a CMS-deemed national accreditation organization.
• Experience and training of program surgeons, including case volume.
• Quality management programs, including surgical checklists as well as tracking and evaluation of clinical outcomes and process of care.
• Multi-disciplinary clinical pathways and teams to coordinate and streamline care, including transitions of care.
• Shared decision making and preoperative patient education.

The Blue Distinction designation is awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare 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.

The additional Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement designations will bring the nation’s number of Blue Distinction designations to more than 1,600 — and this number is expected to increase in the coming years.

Good Samaritan Medical Center is a 231-bed, acute-care hospital providing comprehensive inpatient, outpatient and emergency services to Brockton and 22 neighboring communities. The hospital offers Centers of Excellence care in oncology and cardiology, specialized care in surgery, family-centered obstetrics with level-two nursery, occupational health, pain management, substance abuse and diabetes and advanced diagnostic imaging. The medical center is a member of Caritas Christi Health Care, the second largest health system in New England. More information is available at www.CaritasGoodSam.org.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com) was founded 73 years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered in Boston, BCBSMA provides coverage to nearly 3 million members, 2.5 million in Massachusetts. BCBSMA believes in rewarding doctors and hospitals for delivering safe and effective care, and in empowering patients to take more responsibility, become educated health care consumers and become stronger partners with their doctors. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Please Note: Designation as Blue Distinction Centers means these facilities’ overall experience and aggregate data met objective criteria established in collaboration with expert clinicians’ and leading professional organizations’ recommendations. Individual outcomes may vary. To find out which services are covered under your policy at any facilities, please call your local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.

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