UNC Health Hospitals Earn Top ‘A’ Grades for Patient Safety
The Leapfrog Group assigns hospital grades to inform patients and improve safety
RALEIGH, N.C. – May 3, 2023 – Multiple hospitals affiliated with UNC Health have been recognized with top “A” grades for patient safety by the Leapfrog Group in its latest hospital report card, including UNC Health Rex in Raleigh, UNC Health Pardee in Hendersonville, UNC Health Wayne in Goldsboro, UNC Health Nash in Rocky Mount and Appalachian Regional in Boone.
“UNC Health is proud to provide excellent care for all of our patients across North Carolina,” said Dr. Wesley Burks, CEO of UNC Health. “We use our scores from Leapfrog and other reports to constantly improve how we deliver care. We know patients have choices for their health care and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve them. I am grateful for the dedication of our teammates and physicians for providing outstanding quality care.”
UNC Health Rex is one of only 20 hospitals nationwide, and the only hospital in North Carolina, to receive straight “A” grades since Leapfrog began its hospital safety reports in 2012.
“Rex is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the state, and we are proud to serve patients from across Wake County and Eastern North Carolina,” said UNC Health Rex president Ernie Bovio. “I want to thank all of our teammates and physicians who are committed to providing the safest and highest quality care for our patients.”
Several other UNC Health hospitals earned “B” grades in the latest Leapfrog report, including UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, UNC Health Johnston in Clayton and Smithfield, UNC Health Blue Ridge in Morganton and Onslow Memorial in Jacksonville.
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns letter grades to hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. The latest grades reflect performance primarily during the height of the pandemic.
“This new update of Hospital Safety Grades shows that, at the national level, we saw deterioration in patient safety with the pandemic,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “But these UNC Health hospitals received an ‘A’ despite those challenges. I congratulate all the leaders, staff, volunteers and clinicians who together made that possible.”
To see any hospital’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
About UNC Health
UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 16 hospitals, 20 hospital campuses and more than 900 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina SOM. Over the past three years, UNC Health has provided more than $400 million in uncompensated or charity care to the citizens of North Carolina. Our hospitals have received numerous awards and recognition for quality care, patient safety and the overall patient experience. For more information, please visit unchealth.org.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit
organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital
Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently
report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving
consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital
Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of
patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents,
and infections. To see any hospital’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
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