HENDERSONVILLE – UNC Health Pardee earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national non-profit watchdog that sets standards for excellence in patient care. This national distinction recognizes Pardee’s commitment to quality and achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital. 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.

“At Pardee, safety is the number one priority for every patient who comes through our doors,” said James M. Kirby II, president and CEO, UNC Health Pardee. “Our dedicated staff are committed to providing the best high-quality and patient-centered care day in and day out and that is reflected in this recognition from The Leapfrog Group.” Kirby notes that while Pardee is proud of this honor, these surveys also help the organization to identify opportunities for improvement. “We will continue to focus our efforts not just on maintaining quality but also on these identified opportunities to constantly strive to improve the quality and safety of the care we provide for our patients.”

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.

To see Pardee’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.