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Designation from Anthem Health Plans for Spine Surgery, Knee, Hip Replacement

FARMINGTON, CONN. – The University of Connecticut Health Center’s New England Musculoskeletal Institute has been designated as both a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut.

"Blue Distinction puts a high value on research and evidence-based health and medical information," says Dr. Allan Korn, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Chief Medical Officer. "Blue Distinction Centers show our commitment to working with doctors and hospitals in communities across the country to identify leading institutions that meet clinically validated quality standards and deliver better overall outcomes in patient care."

The Blue Distinction designation is awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery and transplants. The program is part of The Blues® efforts to collaborate with physicians and medical facilities to improve the overall quality and safety of specialty care. Details of the selection criteria used to evaluate facilities are available on www.bcbs.com.

More information about the New England Musculoskeletal Institute is available at http://nemsi.uchc.edu.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans, Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM® is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut is available at www.anthem.com.

The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. More information about the UConn Health Center is available at www.uchc.edu.

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