St. Joseph Health, Queen of the Valley Medical Center Earns Blue Distinction® Center+ Designation for Quality in Knee and Hip Replacement S

St. Joseph Health, Queen of the Valley Medical Center is excited to announce that Blue Shield of California has recognized the hospital as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

Blue Distinction Centers+ are nationally designated health care facilities that show a commitment to delivering more affordable care and demonstrating quality care, treatment expertise and better health outcomes.

Facilities designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ for Knee and Hip Replacement have demonstrated expertise in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, resulting in fewer patient complications and readmissions.

“We are proud to receive this recognition,” said Larry Coomes, chief executive officer at Queen of the Valley. “The designation is a testament to our surgical and rehabilitation teams, who are committed to delivering safe, compassionate care to our patients. Their expertise, combined with the latest technology, ensures our patients receive exceptional care each and every day.”

Last month, Queen of the Valley launched a new, innovative robotic-arm assisted surgery option for knee replacement surgery. The technology, which offers knee replacement patients a shorter hospital stay with better, more predictable outcomes, further enhances the hospital’s orthopedics program.

Knee and hip replacement procedures remain some of the most commonly performed, elective surgical procedures in the U.S. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, more than 600,000 knee replacements and more than 300,000 hip replacements are performed each year in the United States.

The recognition is based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations. For more information about the program and for a complete listing of designated facilities, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.