MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital has received a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care designation by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. 

To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care designation, healthcare facilities must demonstrate expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care for:

• Percutaneous coronary interventions
• Coronary artery bypass graft
• Aortic valve replacement

Cardiac care at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is delivered by the physicians and surgeons of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute. 

The Institute’s team of board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons perform procedures ranging from mitral valve repair, coronary artery bypass grafting, and congenital heart defect repairs to heart transplants and other complex procedures for high-risk adults. They use the most advanced surgical techniques, including minimally invasive robotic surgery in state-of-the-art operating rooms.

“We are absolutely committed to providing the safest and highest quality patient care by working closely with all of our specialists as a team in order to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment plan for both common and complex cardiac conditions,” Vinay Badhwar, M.D., executive chair of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, said. “That plan is grounded in trust and open communication and built on the notion that every patient deserves a compassionate care team armed with the most advanced knowledge whose only focus is to care for them as they would a family member.”

Healthcare facilities recognized as Blue Distinction Centers are assessed using quality information supplied by third-party data registries, which are evaluated based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations. 
 
Nationally, Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care are providing quality care for patients and have lower in-hospital mortality rates and lower bleeding complication rates for angioplasty than non-Blue Distinction Centers. Designated facilities also meet national standards, with patients facing fewer readmissions and mortality rates for coronary artery bypass graft procedures and heart attacks, compared to facilities that do not meet the criteria.
 
For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated providers, visit BCBS.com. For more information about the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Heart.