Central Coast Receives Blue Distinction Quality Care Award

Dignity Health of the Central Coast which includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH), French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC) have all been recognized as Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement®.

This designation signifies that all three Dignity Health facilities met nationally established quality care and outcomes criteria developed with input from the medical community. AGCH, FHMC and MRMC are among only an elite group of just 185 facilities recognized for their expertise in Knee and Hip Replacement. Blue Cross and Blue Shield designate facilities with Blue Distinction as a way to promote well-earned, high quality care.

Research confirms that the newly awarded Blue Distinction Centers provide better quality care, improved results for patients, and lower rates of complications than other centers. These centers provide patients with more information to make better health care decisions. Blue Distinction Centers are also known for being more than 20 percent cost efficient. Blue Distinction Centers are dedicated to providing quality care to their communities. AGCH, FHMC, and MRMC look forward to continuing to demonstrate their dedication to their own communities throughout the area.  

"Blue Distinction Centers set themselves apart by adhering to best practices in patient safety and surgical care and producing consistently strong outcomes with fewer complications,” says Marcus Thygeson, M.D., senior vice president and chief health officer for health care services at Blue Shield. “Blue Shield of California is pleased to recognize the high-quality care that these hospitals and their physicians deliver." 

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association has been awarding quality health care facilities through the Blue Distinction Centers program since 2006. The program evaluates hospitals on their ability to deliver high quality care and safe specialty care. Consumers, medical providers and employers rely on the program to choose quality care facilities. Blue Distinction Centers are identified in the Blues’ National Doctor & Hospital Finder and in Blue Distinction Directory of Provider. With over 90 million visits a year to these sites, members can make well informed decisions about specialty health care.

About Dignity Health of the Central Coast

Dignity Health of the Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services including primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.  Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities. For more information visit www.arroyograndehospital.org; www.frenchmedicalcenter.org; www.marianmedicalcenter.org