Cutting-edge hospitals.

• Position: BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD

The state's largest health insurer recognizes hospitals for their quality of care in certain specialties. Criteria include the medical staff's expertise and patient results. Selected hospitals had fewer complications and readmissions than other medical centers. Hospitals on the list were designated as Blue Distinction Centers as of December 2016.

* Alamance Regional Medical Center, Burlington: knee and hip replacement, maternity care

* Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, Spruce Pine: maternity care

* Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Lenoir: maternity care

* Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville: bariatric surgery

* CarolinaEast Medical Center, New Bern: cardiac care, maternity care

* Carolinas HealthCare System Cleveland, Shelby: maternity care

* Carolinas HealthCare System NorthEast, Concord: bariatric surgery, cardiac care, maternity care

* Carolinas HealthCare System Pineville, Pineville: cardiac care, maternity care

* Carolinas HealthCare System Stanly, Albemarle: maternity care

* Carolinas HealthCare System Union, Monroe: maternity care

* Carolinas HealthCare System University, Charlotte: maternity care

* Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte: cardiac care, complex and rare cancers (acute leukemia, bladder, bone, brain, esophageal, gastric, head and neck, liver, pancreatic, rectal, soft-tissue sarcomas, thyroid), maternity care, spine surgery, transplants (bone-marrow/ stem-cell, heart and liver)

* Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy, Charlotte: bariatric surgery

* CaroMont Regional Medical Center, Gastonia: cardiac care, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery

* Catawba Valley Medical Center, Hickory: maternity care

* Central Carolina Hospital, Sanford: maternity care

* Cone Health Women's Hospital, Greensboro: maternity care

* Davis Medical Center, Statesville: maternity care

* Duke Raleigh Hospital, Raleigh: bariatric surgery, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery

* Duke Regional Hospital, Durham: bariatric surgery, knee and hip replacement, maternity care

* Duke University Hospital, Durham: cardiac care, complex and rare cancers (acute leukemia, bladder, bone, brain, esophageal, liver, pancreatic, rectal, soft-tissue sarcomas, thyroid), knee and hip replacement, transplants (bone-marrow/stem-cell, heart, liver, lung and pancreas)

* FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, Pinehurst: cardiac care, knee and hip replacement, maternity care

* Frye Regional Medical Center, Hickory: bariatric surgery, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery

* Granville Medical Center, Oxford: maternity care

* Halifax Regional Medical Center, Roanoke Rapids: maternity care

* High Point Regional Health, High Point: cardiac care, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery

* Iredell Memorial Hospital, Statesville: knee and hip replacement, maternity care

* Johnston Health, Smithfield: maternity care

* Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, Mooresville: bariatric surgery, maternity care

* Pardee Hospital, Hendersonville: knee and hip replacement, maternity care

* McDowell Hospital, Marion: maternity care

* Mission Hospital, Asheville: bariatric surgery, maternity care

*...