LMH Health recognized for higher quality and cost-efficiency in maternity care
LMH Health is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) with a Blue Distinction® Centers+ (BDC+) for Maternity Care designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. To earn this designation, each facility must deliver quality care, safely and cost-effectively.
“This designation recognizes our commitment to evidence-based care is clear through measures such as our low primary C-section rate,” said Dr. Lynley Holman, a physician with Lawrence OB-GYN Specialists. “We are committed to safety and quality, and we work diligently to focus on patient-centered care, birth equity and family care.”
Based on data from the current designation cycle, facilities designated under the Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care program demonstrate higher-quality care compared to non-Blue Distinction Center facilities, with overall average rates of 26% lower episiotomies, 60% fewer elective deliveries and 17% lower cesarean births—all of which point to healthier outcomes for patients. BDC+ designated facilities also exhibited an average savings of 21% for maternity care.
"The provider and patient experience is powerful and we are proud that LMH Health has put in the work to ensure their patients have this level of care," said Matt All, President/CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. "Each facility recognized as a Blue Distinction Center is meeting rigorous quality metrics in all phases of their maternity care programs and, in doing so, delivering better care for our members and all Kansans.”
To be designated under this program, each applicant facility was evaluated on a combination of objective data on patient outcomes as well as the practices implemented to reduce racial disparities and improve maternal health outcomes, such as:
- Using evidence-based best practices to respond effectively to obstetric emergencies
- Offering unconscious bias training
- Participating in the regional Perinatal Quality Collaborative
- Having doula support available on the maternity care team
- Collecting race, ethnicity and language data
- Having a program dedicated to quality improvements in maternal care
- Running drills and simulations to ensure providers are prepared to deal with a range of obstetric emergencies
- Demonstrating health outcomes that exceed the selection criteria from our program’s previous evaluation cycle
”This distinction is a reflection of how dedicated this team and LMH Health are to eliminating health disparities and inequities in maternal health,” said Erica Hill, LMH Health equity and strategic initiatives director. “This Blue Distinction recognition reaffirms our commitment to being a partner for lifelong health.”
