UNC Health Blue Ridge Earns a ‘B’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group 

 New Grade for spring 2025 is a national recognition for commitment to patient safety  

 MORGANTON, NC (MAY 1, 2025) – UNC Health Blue Ridge earned a “B” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.  

“This recognition is a testament to the patient safety and quality standards we have put into practice, and our commitment to putting our patients first,” said UNC Health Blue Ridge President and CEO Gary Paxson. “Keeping patients safe from errors, infections, and injuries is difficult. It takes a team effort. I am proud of our staff for their continued commitment and passion for the patients in our community.”

"Achieving a 'B' Safety Grade is a significant milestone that reflects commitment to patient safety, from leadership to frontline caregivers and everyone involved in the process. It signifies a meaningful decrease in patient harm," said Missy Danforth, Senior Vice President of Health Care Ratings at The Leapfrog Group. "UNC Health Blue Ridge is proving that patient care is its top priority, and that dedication is essential to making these improvements possible." 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections, and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

 To explore UNC Health Blue Ridge’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. 

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UNC Health Blue Ridge (www.unchealthblueridge.org) is a not-for-profit community healthcare system, providing advanced healthcare and wellness services from more than 40 locations across a three-county region of Western North Carolina. The system includes one hospital with two locations, a wellness center, and a continuing care retirement community. Nearly 120 primary care physicians, physician specialists and extenders in the Blue Ridge Medical Group combine with other physicians on the Medical Staff to serve patients in the region. UNC Health Blue Ridge provides graduate medical education programs for medical school graduates and students in allopathic and osteopathic medicine.  UNCBR is affiliated with UNC Health System (www.unchealthcare.org), a not-for-profit integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill

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 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 them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and sign up for their newsletter. 

Contact: Danette Brackett

Danette.Brackett@unchealth.unc.edu

(828) 580-5690

www.HospitalSafetyGrade.org