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Watauga Medical Center Earns an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group 

Watauga Medical Center earned an “A” 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.  

“We are consistently working to ensure all who enter our facilities are safe from harm. Once again, it is great to have Watauga Medical Center recognized with an A from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades. I commend our staff on their outstanding work to keep patients safe, while maintaining exemplary care,” stated Chuck Mantooth, President and CEO of UNC Health Appalachian.

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for Watauga Medical Center,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to Watauga Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients daily 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 Watauga Medical Center’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.