Holy Family Hospital has again earned designation as a Blue Distinction Center Plus for Knee and Hip Replacement® from Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, one of just 24 hospitals in Massachusetts to earn this distinction, has consistently earned it every year since Blue Cross Blue Shield first initiated the program in 2009.

In fact, Holy Family Hospital’s Regional Center for Orthopedic Care in Methuen is the first hospital in Massachusetts and New Hampshire to be nationally recognized by BlueCross and BlueShield of Massachusetts as a Blue Distinction Center Plus® for excellence, and be awarded The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval in hip and knee surgeries.

“Holy Family Hospital is home to a team of expert orthopedic surgeons who bring some of the most sophisticated, minimally invasive treatment options to our community, including MAKOplasty® and the Direct Anterior Approach for Hip Replacements,” said Holy Family Hospital President Joseph Roach. “This designation makes apparent the high level of expertise in Holy Family Hospital’s orthopedic program. Patients don’t need to travel to Boston for outstanding orthopedic care. It’s right here in their community.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield created the Blue Distinction Center ® and Blue Distinction Center Plus® Programs so patients and physicians could have informed discussions when choosing the best hospital for a needed procedure.

The Blue Distinction Center® program evaluates hospitals on their ability to deliver high quality and safe specialty care based on criteria that directly impact patient results, surgical team expertise and a history of better outcomes for patients.

Hospitals that receive the Blue Distinction Center Plus® award are evaluated on the same quality and safety criteria, as well as how efficiently and cost-effectively they deliver care.

Blue Cross Blue Shield collaborates with expert physicians and medical organizations to determine the selection criteria for all Blue Distinction programs.

About Holy Family Hospital
Holy Family Hospital is a 383-bed acute-care hospital with two campuses, Holy Family Hospital - Methuen and Holy Family Hospital- Haverhill. Both locations provide comprehensive inpatient, outpatient and 24/7 emergency services to the greater Merrimack Valley, southern New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Seacoast. The hospital’s strengths include orthopedic care, cancer care, neurology/neurosurgery, wound and hyperbaric care, behavioral medicine and maternity care. Both campuses are proud recipients of the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission and have earned “A” Hospital Safety Scores from The Leapfrog Group for their performance on national standards of safety, quality and efficiency. Holy Family Hospital is part of the Steward Health Care Systems LLC, the largest integrated community care organization in New England, which combines over 3,0000 physicians, 10  hospital campuses, managed care, insurance programs, home care, an imaging operation, and a number of other post acute services, to provide the most cost effective and highest quality of integrated patient care.