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Nanticoke Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce it has recently been recognized as a Blue Distinction® Center+ for Knee and Hip Replacement by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The Blue Distinction® for Knee and Hip Replacement is given to hospitals that demonstrate expertise in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, having lower complication rates and fewer hospital readmissions. A Blue Distinction® Specialty Care Program is a national designation program, awarded by local Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) companies, recognizing healthcare providers demonstrating expertise in delivering quality and affordable health care to meet consumers’ specialty care needs—safely, effectively and cost-efficiently. The Blue Distinction® program was developed to help consumers find both quality and value for their specialty care needs, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the overall quality and delivery of care nationwide, and providing a credible foundation for local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plans (Blue Plans) to design benefits tailored to meet employers’ own quality and cost objectives. The Blue Distinction Specialty Care Program includes two levels of designation: (1) Blue Distinction Centers (BDC): Healthcare providers recognized for their expertise in delivering specialty care and (2) Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+): Healthcare providers recognized for their expertise and cost efficiency in delivering specialty care. For BDC+, only those providers that first meet nationally established quality measures for BDC will be considered for designation as a BDC+. Nanticoke Memorial Hospital has been recognized as a Blue Distinction® Center+. “The Hip and Knee Replacement team at Nanticoke provides exceptional care to our patients,” said Penny Short, MSM, BSN, RN and President of Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. “The program is designed to provide high quality care in an intimate and relaxing environment. Each person on our care team is committed to providing personalized care. I’m not surprised this team has reached such a high level of distinction. I could not be more proud of the work they do each day.”