Published on June 30, 2009
The Southern Oregon Bariatric
Center Earns Designation as a Blue Distinction Center® for Bariatric Surgery
The Southern Oregon Bariatric
Center (SOBC) has earned recognition by Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Oregon as a Blue
Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery. The Southern Oregon Bariatric
Center is the only bariatric surgery center within 150 miles of Medford to earn
this designation.
The Blue Distinction Centers designation
was developed to help consumers locate quality care for bariatric surgery.
The designation signifies that SOBC staff
and physicians have demonstrated their commitment to quality care, resulting in
better overall outcomes for their bariatric patients.
Obesity is widely recognized as a
contributor to serious health risks. According to the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ), the total number of bariatric surgeries increased
400 percent from 1998 to 2004.
Bariatric surgery may help some individuals reduce extreme obesity and
its associated health risks, and Blue Distinction provides objective
information to help them make informed decisions when choosing a provider.
"We are happy and proud to receive this
important designation," said Mark Eaton, MD, medical director of Southern
Oregon Bariatric Center. "By
becoming a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery, we have proven our
commitment to excellence and we look forward to providing care for even more
bariatric surgery patients in Oregon."
"Blue Distinction puts a high value on
research and evidence-based health and medical information," says 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."
To be designated as a Blue Distinction
Center for Bariatric Surgery, SOBC met stringent selection criteria which
included the following:
- An established bariatric surgery program, actively
performing these procedures for the most recent 12-month period and
performing a required minimum volume of 125 such surgeries annually
- Appropriate experience of its bariatric surgery team
- An acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care
and emergency services
- Full accreditation by The Joint Commission, Healthcare
Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) or national equivalent**
- A comprehensive quality management program
ABOUT SOBC
The
Southern Oregon Bariatric Center is a partnership of Oregon Surgical
Specialists, PC and Rogue Valley Medical Center. The center's expert team of surgeons, clinicians,
dieticians, fitness specialists, and counselors specializes in treating the
unique problems and challenges of bariatric surgery patients. Southern Oregon Bariatric Center
surgeons are experts in the most current bariatric surgery techniques,
including the adjustable gastric banding procedure and gastric bypass. They
were the first to bring laparoscopic surgery techniques - the minimally
invasive approach - to the Rogue Valley. For more information, please visit http://www.sobariatric.com.
ABOUT BLUE DISTINCTION
Blue Distinction is a designation awarded by
Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have
demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. The designation is
based on rigorous, evidence-based selection criteria established in
collaboration with expert physicians' and medical organizations
recommendations. Today, more than 800 Blue Distinction Center designations have
been awarded to facilities nationwide, providing consumers with a framework for
making informed decisions on where to go for specialty care in the areas of
bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, and transplants.