University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has received a Blue Distinction Center+ designation by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield for bariatric surgery. Health care facilities received the designation for delivering quality care resulting in better overall outcomes for bariatric patients.

UI Hospitals and Clinics is one of seven centers to receive Blue Distinction designation for bariatric surgery, and one of six which received Blue Distinction+.

“Patients who have bariatric surgery see numerous benefits, including an increased life expectancy, and decreased risks of cancer, heart disease, and future hospitalizations,” says Jessica Smith, MD, clinical associate professor of surgery and a bariatric surgeon at UI Hospitals and Clinics. “Being recognized as one of the top bariatric centers in the state of Iowa – both for the quality of our care and for the overall outcomes following our procedures – is a true testament to how devoted our surgeons are to providing our patients with the best experience possible.”

To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery designation, a health care facility must demonstrate success in meeting patient safety measures as well as bariatric-specific quality measures, including complication and readmission rate for laparoscopic procedures in sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric band. A health care facility must also be nationally accredited at both the facility and bariatric program-specific levels.