Alert

Visitor Restrictions

In response to recent increasing trends of respiratory illness in our community, visitor restrictions and guidance are now in effect. Learn More

Published on December 15, 2025

UNC Health Johnston in Clayton named Top Hospital

Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, UNC Health Johnston in Clayton was named a Top General Hospital by The Leapfrog Group.

The award is one of the most competitive honors hospitals and surgery centers in the United States can receive for their commitment to safety and quality. The winning facilities will be presented with their awards today as part of Leapfrog’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner.

More than 2,400 hospitals were considered for the award. Among those, UNC Health Johnston in Clayton received a Top General distinction. A total of 156 Top Hospitals were selected, including:

  • 15 Top Children’s
  • 52 Top General
  • 16 Top Rural
  • 73 Top Teaching

The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit watchdog organization that rates hospitals and ASCs on how well they protect patients from preventable harm, including accidents, injuries and infections.

The Leapfrog Top Hospital award is given to teaching, general, rural and children's hospitals that publicly report their performance through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and meet the high standards defined in the Top Hospitals methodology. This includes infection rates, maternity care and a hospital’s ability to prevent medication errors, among other standards.

"UNC Health Johnston in Clayton has distinguished itself through an unwavering focus on safety and quality, earning a place on this year’s list of Top Hospitals,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.  “This recognition reflects a culture of transparency and continuous improvement—one embraced by every member of the organization. We commend the entire team at Johnston for reaching this outstanding milestone."

To qualify for the distinction, hospitals must rank top among peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses hospital performance on the highest standards for quality and patient safety, and achieve top performance in their category. To see the full list of institutions honored as 2025 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.