CMC Chosen by BCBS for Excellence in Maternity Care
CONWAY, SC– Conway Medical Center (CMC) was recently designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care by BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated hospitals that show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community. To receive a Blue Distinction Centers+ designation, a hospital must also demonstrate cost efficiency.
The Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care designation means Conway Medical Center meets requirements that support evidence-based practices of care as well as meeting consumers’ needs for affordable health care. The program also evaluates maternity hospitals on patient satisfaction, including a likelihood to recommend the hospital to others. Maternity patients consistently give CMC high marks for patient care and safety, and 99 percent said they would recommend CMC, according to the latest patient survey results.
“When patients are considering a hospital for their healthcare needs they want to go somewhere they can trust- a place with a reputation for compassionate, quality care,” said Bret Barr, President and CEO of CMC. “CMC is providing that trusted care and we are proud to recognize CMC’s skilled staff for their dedication to our patients and their continuous hard work. We’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort to meet the rigorous quality metrics that must be met for this designation and others. And we’ve done it all while delivering the most babies in Horry County.”
Last year, Conway Medical Center performed approximately 1100 newborn deliveries. Nearly four million babies are born in the U.S. annually, making childbirth the most common cause of hospitalization, and cesarean sections the most common operating room procedure, according to National Centers for Health Statistics and the Agency for Health Care Research & Quality (AHRQ). Reducing early elective delivery is an area of focus for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). According to Health Affairs, elective inductions result in more cesarean deliveries and a longer maternal hospitalization.
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, maternity care, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that, compared to other hospitals, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients. On average, Blue Distinction Centers+ also are 20 percent more cost-efficient than non-Blue Distinction Center+ designated hospitals.
Conway Medical Center is defined by its historical ability to consistently meet the healthcare needs of Horry County. The nonprofit medical center, was established in 1928 as Horry County’s first hospital and has 210 inpatient beds; a 66-bed long-term care facility, Kingston Nursing Center; a 22-bed sub-acute care facility, Medstar; an Outpatient Diagnostic Center and Conway Physicians Group (CPG), a multi-specialty group of 19 physician offices affiliated with the hospital.
About BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Headquartered in Columbia and operating in South Carolina for more than 70 years, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The only South Carolina-owned and operated health insurance carrier, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina comprises more than 20 companies involved in health insurance services, U.S. DoD health program and Medicare contracts, other insurance and employee benefits services, and a philanthropic foundation that funds programs to improve health care and access to health care for South Carolinians.
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 providers 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 provider’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Providers 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 www.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.