Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care reported a 32 percent drop in Cesarean sections for first-time mothers compared to hospitals outside the program, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association announced June 27.
The average C-section rate for Blue Distinction Centers was 23.7 percent, which exceeds HHS' federal goal to reduce C-section rates for first-time mothers to 23.9 percent by 2020.
When compared with other hospitals, these Blue Distinction Centers also had 70 percent fewer early (37-39 weeks) deliveries and 53 percent fewer episiotomies.
To achieve a Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care designation, hospitals must achieve a 27 percent or lower C-section rate, among other quality measures. "Working in collaboration with medical experts, we've been able to create an innovative program that offers parents an objective source of information to help find quality care for new mothers and their children," said Kari Hedges, senior vice president of commercial markets and enterprise data solutions for BCBSA. "Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care are proving to provide better, higher-quality maternity care nationally. We are pleased to see that the program is helping to make healthcare work better for everyone."
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