New Grade for Fall 2023 is a national recognition for patient safety    

UNC Health Wayne has earned their 5th consecutive “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog that sets standards for excellence in patient care.  Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.   

“Receiving our 5th consecutive A letter grade from The Leapfrog Group and a prestigious 4-star rating from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services is a testament to the transformative cultural shift happening at UNC Health Wayne”, says Jessie L. Tucker, III, President and CEO at UNC Health Wayne. "The dedication of our teammates and our alignment with UNC Health excellence continues to be recognized at both national and regional levels. We could not be happier with these record-breaking improvements in our outcomes.” 

“A continually improving focus on nursing sensitive indicators and a patient-centered collaboration with all members of the clinical team, medical staff and support staff make this and more possible. We are very proud of our team,” says Heidi L. Malez, MSN, RN, CMSRN, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President Patient Care Services. 

"Our medical staff's commitment to evidence-based best practices have served as an anchor for our improvements. This also provides an adaptive foundation upon which we can continue to provide high quality, safe and efficient care," says Dr. Brian H. Fillipo, MD, MMM, FACP, Chief Medical Officer.  

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program exclusively based on hospital prevention of medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day nationally. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually in the fall and spring. 

“Earning an ‘A’ Grade means UNC Health Wayne made a true commitment to put patients first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the leadership, Board, clinicians, staff and volunteers that all had a role to play in this achievement.”  

To see UNC Health Wayne’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook and via its newsletter.  

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[ABOUT UNC Health Wayne] 

 UNC Health Wayne has been providing compassionate, advanced health care to eastern North Carolina for over 125 years. A nonprofit affiliate of UNC Health, UNC Health Wayne has a reputation in eastern North Carolina for providing excellent, high-quality medical care. As the largest private employer in Wayne County, UNC Health Wayne has a team of more than 1,700 patient care providers and support staff, as well as more than 300 medical staff. Every member of our team is committed to delivering the best possible care through a patient-centered approach.  

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 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. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.