Cutting-edge hospitals.

• Position: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

These have been recognized by the state's largest health insurer-based on its experience, data from objective sources and collaboration with doctors and professional organizations-for quality and expertise in certain surgical procedures

Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville; bariatric surgery

CarolinaEast Medical Center, New Bern cardiac care

Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte adult heart and liver transplants, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers (acute leukemia, bladder, bone, brain, esophageal, gastric, head and neck, liver, pancreatic, rectal, soft tissue sarcomas, thyroid)

Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy, Charlotte: bariatric surgery

Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast, Concord bariatric surgery, cardiac care

CaroMont Regional Medical Center, Gastonia cardiac care

Cone Health*, Greensboro and Reidsville: cardiac care, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery

Duke Regional Hospital, Durham bariatric surgery, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery

Duke University Hospital, Durham complex and rare cancers (acute leukemia, bladder, bone, brain, esophageal, liver, pancreatic, rectal, soft-tissue sarcomas, thyroid), knee and hip replacement, king and bone-marrow and stem-cell transplants, pancreas, kidney and adult heart transplants, spine surgery

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital,

Pinehurst: cardiac care

Frye Regional Medical Center, bariatric surgery

High Point Regional Health, High Point cardiac care

Mission Hospital, Asheville bariatric surgery

Nash General Hospital, Rocky Mount bariatric surgery, knee and hip replacement

New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington bariatric surgery, knee and hip replacement

Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, Winston-Salem...