AVALA RECOGNIZED FOR HIGHER-QUALITY AND COST-EFFECTIVE SPINE SURGERY AND KNEE & HIP REPLACEMENTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 8, 2025
Media Inquiries: Brooke Russell | 985.801.6212 | info@avala.com
Covington, Louisiana – AVALA Hospital is proud to be recognized by Louisiana Blue with Blue Distinction® Center+ (BDC+) designations for both Spine Surgery and Knee and Hip Replacement. AVALA is now 1 of only 5 hospitals in Louisiana to hold both distinctions—an incredible milestone for our organization.
These programs identify hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) that demonstrate expertise in patient safety, deliver better health outcomes, and are more cost-effective. Quality assessments are based on objective measures developed from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s (BCBSA) partnership with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
“Earning the Blue Distinction® Center+ designation for Spine Surgery is a powerful validation of the advanced surgical capabilities, precision medicine, and collaborative care model we’ve built at AVALA,” said Dr. Samer Shamieh, Chief Medical Officer at AVALA. “This recognition reflects not only the skill and expertise of our spine surgeons, but also the seamless coordination across our entire clinical team—from pre-operative education to post-operative rehabilitation. Our use of minimally invasive techniques, including robotic-assisted procedures, allows us to deliver exceptional outcomes with reduced recovery times and improved patient satisfaction. We are proud to be one of only five hospitals in Louisiana to hold this designation, and we remain committed to setting the standard for spine care in our region.”
These designations are a testament to the rigorous standards met by AVALA Hospital. Designated spine surgery and designated knee and hip replacement facilities deliver high-quality care, with an average of:
- 28% fewer readmissions and 29% fewer complications within 90 days after spine surgery
- 21% fewer readmissions and 21% fewer complications within 90 days of knee and hip replacement surgery
Designated BDC+ facilities also achieve cost savings of 23% for spine surgery and 30% for knee and hip replacements compared to all other facilities for these specialty care areas.
Patients treated at designated facilities benefit from the expertise and advanced practices that lead to improved recovery times and reduced complications, making a positive difference in their overall health journey.
“As Chief Nursing Officer, I am incredibly proud of the dedication and expertise our clinical team brings to spine surgery each and every day,” said Joy Melgar, MSN, RN, AVALA Chief Nursing Officer, “Their commitment to exceptional patient care and clinical excellence has earned AVALA the prestigious Blue Distinction® Center+ designation for Spine Surgery from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. This recognition reflects the high-quality care our community can expect and deserve.”
These Blue Distinction Center programs help consumers find both quality and value for their specialty care needs, while also encouraging health care professionals to improve the overall delivery of care nationwide.
Only providers that meet nationally established quality measures will be considered for designation as both a Blue Distinction Center Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement, which include:
By meeting these stringent criteria, AVALA Hospital not only highlights its commitment to high-quality health care but also commits to remaining at the forefront of advancements in spine surgery and knee and hip replacements.
To further improve patient outcomes and inform treatment strategies in these specialty care areas, BCBSA utilized two robust sources for evidence-based performance measures and patient-reported outcome measures: the American Spine Registry—a joint effort between the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and AAOS—and the American Joint Replacement Registry.
Since 2005, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care—and, for those that meet the program’s cost criteria, at lower costs—in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery, and transplants, while encouraging health care professionals to improve the quality of care they deliver.
For more information about the program and a complete list of designated providers, please visit our website.
About AVALA
AVALA is a premier health network based in Covington, Louisiana, delivering high-quality, patient-centered care through its hospital, outpatient surgery centers, diagnostic imaging services, urgent orthopedic care, physical and hand therapy, and physician clinics. Nationally recognized for excellence, AVALA ranks in the top 6% in the nation for quality healthcare. With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and quality, AVALA is committed to restoring trust in healthcare by putting the doctor-patient relationship at the heart of medicine. To learn more, visit www.avala.com.
About Louisiana Blue
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, or Louisiana Blue, is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Founded in New Orleans in 1934, we are a tax-paying, not-for-profit health insurer with offices in every major region of Louisiana to serve our customers. We have been recognized for the past seven years as an honoree of The Civic 50, named by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States. J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Satisfaction Study ranked us #1 in member satisfaction among commercial health plans in the East South Central Region. Louisiana Blue also was nationally recognized for exceptional customer service by USA Today’s America’s Best Customer Service 2025.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. We invite all Louisianians to visit our website at lablue.com or talk to us on social media @MyLouisianaBlue.
About the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. BCBSA provides health care insights through The Health of America Report series and the national BCBS Health IndexSM. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com.
About Blue Distinction Centers
Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures, developed with input from the medical community. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for providers located in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare. Each provider’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Providers in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in-network status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for noncovered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.
