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Trinity Hospital has again been recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota as a Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care.

The hospital earned the Blue Distinction Center+ (Plus) designation, which signifies that Trinity’s maternity care is not only high quality but also cost-effective.

Facilities eligible for Blue Distinction must meet rigorous standards and show statistically significant differences in key clinical outcomes compared to their peers.

Kathy Schaefer, Director of Trinity’s Women’s and Children’s Services, says this latest recognition shows that Trinity Health is committed to providing quality care for women and newborns. “This designation is a tribute to everyone involved in our maternity care programs,” she said. “It’s their passion and expertise that continually drive us toward improving our delivery of safe, effective care for mothers and babies in our region.”

Among the criteria met by Trinity Health:

• Having a maternal quality improvement program
• Conducting drills and simulations for adverse events
• Developing protocols and procedures for managing hypertension and hemorrhage
• Meeting clinical outcome metrics at a higher standard than required previously
• Collecting race ethnicity data

This year, Blue Cross Blue Shield ’s quality measures were expanded to include new protocols that better address equity issues. Studies show that racial and ethnic disparities persist across maternal care due to socioeconomic status and other factors. Last year, Trinity Health signed on to a national campaign to safeguard women’s health and educate women on the complications that can arise post-birth.

“Achieving excellence in quality of care is the ultimate goal of BCBSND’s Blue distinction programs,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Greg Glasner at BCBSND. “Trinity Hospital has achieved the designation of a Blue Distinction Center of excellence for its level of care for Maternity. We believe in recognizing those healthcare facilities that reach the highest level of quality for our members. As a Blue Distinction Center, Trinity Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to its patients as well as its expertise in providing specialty care.”

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