UNC REX Healthcare Receives Highest Rating on Leapfrog’s Fall 2015 Hospital Safety Score
UNC REX the only North Carolina hospital to receive consecutive “A” grades since 2012
RALEIGH, N.C. – UNC REX Healthcare has received an “A” rating for Leapfrog Group’s Fall 2015 Hospital Safety Score, the highest grade granted to hospitals for keeping patients safe from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. UNC REX is the only hospital in North Carolina to receive straight “A” grades since Leapfrog Group began its national hospital scorecard three years ago.
“UNC REX’s consecutive ‘A’ rating from the Leapfrog Group demonstrates our continued commitment to putting our patients’ safety first,” said Steve Burriss, president of UNC REX. “I would like to thank all physicians, nurses and co-workers who work day in and day out to ensure that we are providing a safe environment and the best possible experience for our patients.”
The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization that strives to bring safety, quality and affordability of health care in the U.S. by promoting transparency. The Hospital Safety Score uses a wide range of evidence-based measures related to patient safety to calculate a numerical score for all eligible U.S. hospitals. The numerical safety score is then converted into a letter grade designed to give the public free and unbiased information they can use to protect themselves and their families.
Since the launch of the Hospital Safety Score in 2012, Rex is one of only 133 hospitals nationwide to have earned an “A” in each of the twice-annual updates of the score—approximately 5 percent of all graded hospitals.
“No matter how large or small, no matter what kind of community they serve, all hospitals have the potential to give their patients this high level of safe care,” said Leah Binder, president & CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Although no hospital is perfect, our family members, neighbors and colleagues deserve the safest care possible. We urge consumers to put safety first when planning a hospital stay.”
The scores are calculated using 28 measures, which are all publically available by hospital safety figures, to produce an overall “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” score. The Hospital Safety Score signifies the overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm. In fall 2015 approximately 2,500 U.S. general hospitals were assigned scores, with 73 percent receiving an “A” grade.
To see UNC REX’s scores and to find safety tips for patients and your loved ones, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org. A free Hospital Safety Score mobile app is also available for download to view hospital ratings.
