Blue Cross Blue Shield Awards Silver Cross Hospital Blue Distinction Center+ Designation for Maternity Care

For delivering safe, efficient and high-quality care to women and newborns, Silver Cross Hospital has earned the Blue Distinction Centers+ designation for Maternity Care by Blue Cross Blue Shield. BCD+ is the highest designation Blue Cross awards to acute care and specialty hospitals across the U.S. 

Maternity care centers that achieve this designation demonstrate high-quality care for vaginal and cesarean section deliveries, higher patient satisfaction ratings, a lower percentage of early elective deliveries, and are more affordable for patients. In addition, they adhere to evidence-based care guidelines and promote successful breastfeeding. 

“Silver Cross Hospital is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield for meeting the rigorous criteria of the Blue Distinction Centers+ program,” said Ruth Colby, President and Chief Executive Officer of Silver Cross Hospital. “This designation belongs to every member of our obstetrics/gynecology team, including our nurses, medical staff members and support staff, who are dedicated to providing superior mother/baby care and achieving excellent outcomes for our patients.” 

At 3,000 births each year, the Women and Infant Services Birthing Center at Silver Cross Hospital is the busiest in Will County. The center features 15 private birthing suites, three of which have immersion tubs for women in labor. The unit also features mother/baby couplet care, which means the same registered nurse cares for mother and baby throughout their stay, ensuring comfort, continuity of care, and optimal communication between patients and their care team. 

And to care for premature or seriously ill newborns, Silver Cross opened the 24-bed Amy, Matthew and Jay Vana Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in summer 2022. The unit, which recently observed its one-year anniversary, is the first and only Level III NICU in Will County. 

The NICU staff is specially trained to care for babies born before 30 weeks’ gestational age, as well as babies born with birth defects, infections, breathing difficulties or other high-risk conditions. 

Silver Cross partners with experts from the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago to staff the NICU. Lurie specialists also see newborns after their hospital discharge through a comprehensive outpatient pediatric clinic in Silver Cross Hospital’s Pavilion B. 

For more information about Silver Cross Hospital’s Women and Infant Services Birthing Center, visit silvercross.org/care-treatment/pregnancy/