UNC Health Rex, Nash and Watauga Medical ranked among nation’s best for safety and quality.
RALEIGH, N.C. – Three UNC Health hospitals are among the nation’s best for patient safety and quality, according to a new ranking by The Leapfrog Group.
UNC Health Rex in Raleigh, Nash UNC Health Care in Rocky Mount and Watauga Medical Center in Boone have been recognized with Leapfrog’s Top Hospitals award, which is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards U.S. hospitals can receive.
Nationwide, a total of 115 hospitals were selected as Top Hospitals by Leapfrog, out of more than 2,200 that were considered. Top Hospitals will be honored at the 2022 Leapfrog Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner tonight in Washington, D.C.
Rex is included on Leapfrog’s 2022 list in the “Top Teaching Hospitals” category. Nash is one of the “Top General Hospitals” and Watauga Medical is among the “Top Rural Hospitals.”
“Rex is honored to be included on Leapfrog’s Top Hospitals list again this year,” said UNC Health Rex President Ernie Bovio. “Our teammates and physicians continue to work tirelessly to provide the best care for our patients and learning environment for future health care providers.”
The quality of patient care across many areas of hospital performance is considered in establishing the criteria for the Leapfrog award, including infection rates, practices for safer surgery, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication errors.
“We are honored to recognize Rex, Nash and Watauga Medical as Top Hospitals this year,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “They have demonstrated that they truly put patients first. We congratulate the board, staff and clinicians whose efforts made this honor possible.”
To qualify for the Top Hospitals distinction, hospitals must rank top among peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses hospital performance on the highest standards for quality and patient safety, and achieve top performance in its category. To see the full list of institutions honored as 2022 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.
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.