AssistedCare Home Health of eastern North Carolina, with locations in Wilmington and Leland, was recently named a Top Agency of the 2013 HomeCare Elite, according to a news release. It is the third consecutive year in which AssistedCare has been named to the list.

HomeCare Elite is a “national recognition of excellence among home health agencies,” the release stated.

Founded in 1994, AssistedCare Home Health provides in-home care for individuals with chronic conditions.

“Our services are all encompassing to meet individual needs and include skilled nursing care which is critical when patients go home from the hospital,” CEO Russell Herring said in the release. “Patients are being discharged from the hospital sooner than ever before. They need continued care at home to ensure full recovery and to significantly reduce the chances of a poor outcome or the need to be re-hospitalized. We step in to provide that care and monitor their progress so that they get better.”

Now in its eighth year, the HomeCare Elite identifies the “top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agencies nationally,” according to the release. Winners are ranked by an analysis of publicly available performance measures in quality outcomes, best practice implementation, patient experience, quality improvement and consistency, and financial performance, the release stated.