Several hospital units recently landed on industry recognition lists.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center was recently awarded an ‘A’ grade in the fall 2016 update to The Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from accidents, errors, injuries and infections.

It is the sixth consecutive A rating NHRMC has received, according to hospital officials. NHRMC was among only 844 U.S. hospitals to receive an A rating of the 2,633 issued a grade.

The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety and is administered by The Leapfrog Group, an independent industry watchdog. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Score is designed to give members of the public information they can use to protect themselves and their families.

The Hospital Safety Score uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a letter grade of A to F representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm.

When ranked by percentage of hospitals earning an A, several states stood out for significant improvements over time, including North Carolina, which climbed from a ranking of 19th in the nation in spring of 2013 to fifth in fall of 2016 for hospitals with the top safety grade.

To see NHRMC’s scores as they compare nationally and locally, and to find safety tips for patients and their loved ones, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at hospitalsafetyscore.org.

NHRMC Home Care also was named to the Top 100 of the 2016 HomeCare Elite list of home health agencies in the United States, officials announced.

“We are proud to be recognized again as one of the country’s top home care agencies,” Laura Warrick, interim director of NHRMC Home Care, said in a news release. “This distinction is an honor that reflects our team’s dedication to providing patients the best care in the comfort of their home.”

It was the third year NHRMC Home Care was named to the list.

“The annual review ranks the most successful home care providers based on performance measures that include quality outcomes, best practice implementation, patient experience, quality improvement and consistency and financial performance,” according to the release. “The review is developed by ABILITY Network, sponsored by DecisionHealth, and names the top 25 percent of agencies in country who demonstrate the highest-quality care in their communities.”

Additionally, Pender Memorial Hospital in Burgaw was recently recognized for overall excellence in quality by iVantage Health Analytics and the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) for the second year in a row. Additionally, Pender Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of New Hanover Regional, is one of seven hospitals in the state to receive the recognition as a top quartile performer compared to rural acute care hospitals nationwide.

“We are proud to again receive this recognition for providing patients with high-quality care in their own community,” Ruth Glaser, president of Pender Memorial Hospital, said in a news release. “Rural hospitals play a vital role in the well-being of the region, and we work hard to ensure our patients have access to the highest standard so they and their families can live healthy lives.”

Hospitals were ranked according to the Hospital Strength INDEX, which includes data aggregated from 66 performance metrics for all rural and critical access hospitals. In partnership with NOSORH, iVantage Health Analytics developed a data-driven program to identify excellence in hospital performance and patient care.

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) was established in 1995 to assist State Offices of Rural Health in their efforts to improve access to, and the quality of, health care for America’s 61 million rural citizens.

iVantage Health Analytics is a leading provider of health care analytic and performance management analytic tools. Health system and hospital leadership teams across the country rely on the company’s software and services to deliver customized insights on clinical and financial performance, strategic planning, market assessment and payment optimization, according to the news release.

iVantage is part of The Chartis Group, a national advisory services firm dedicated to the health care industry. The Chartis Center for Rural Health (CCRH) was formed in 2016 to offer tailored services, performance management solutions, research and education to rural hospitals and facilities.