UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, UNC Health Rex in Raleigh, and UNC Health Pardee in Hendersonville have each received 5-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These ratings assess hospital quality and safety to assist consumers with healthcare decisions.
The CMS hospital ratings, recently published on the CMS website, evaluate hospitals using publicly available data. Categories include mortality, safety of care, readmissions, timely and effective care, and patient experience. The star rating system is intended to guide patients in choosing high-quality care providers and to motivate hospitals to improve their services.
Nationally, only 290 hospitals earned a 5-star rating this year. In North Carolina, eight hospitals received this distinction. UNC Health is the only health system in the state with more than one hospital achieving 5-star status.
UNC Hospitals, UNC Health Rex, and UNC Health Pardee all maintained their previous 5-star ratings.
“We are proud that UNC Health Rex, UNC Hospitals and UNC Health Pardee received such outstanding recognition from CMS,” said Dr. Cristy Page, interim CEO of UNC Health. “Faced with the ever-shifting landscape of healthcare, this remarkable achievement reflects our teammate’s commitment to serving our families, friends, and neighbors.”
“The ratings are based on rigorous national benchmarks across five key areas: mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, and timely and effective care,” said Dr. Peggy McNaull, UNC Health’s chief medical and quality officer. “This recognition is a testament to the strength of our culture, the excellence of our clinical teams, and the power of our shared purpose in fulfilling our mission.”
More information about CMS hospital ratings or comparisons with other hospitals can be found at the Hospital Compare website: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/.
UNC Health operates as a state entity affiliated with the University of North Carolina system. It includes 20 hospitals and over 900 clinics throughout North Carolina as well as clinical patient care programs connected to the UNC School of Medicine.
