UNC Health Southeastern Earns A’s on Lown Institute Hospitals Index
UNC Health Southeastern has earned an “A” grade on the 2026 Lown Institute Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility, Health Equity, and Inclusivity. This places the health system among the top hospitals nationally for overall commitment to health equity, value, and outcomes.
The Lown Hospitals Index is the only national ranking that examines how equitably care is delivered, how well hospitals invest in their communities, and whether patients receive high-value care that avoids unnecessary procedures, in addition to traditional measures like clinical outcomes and patient safety. More than 50 metrics contribute to a hospital’s overall score.
For the areas where the health system received an “A,” social responsibility reflects performance across health equity, value, and outcomes. Health equity reflects commitment to equity, inclusion, and community health, and inclusivity measures the extent to which patients being served are demographically similar to those in the surrounding community. For inclusivity, the system ranked highest in the area of income inclusivity, which measures how well the hospital services provided to lower income patients are served.
“At UNC Health Southeastern, we believe every person deserves exceptional care delivered with dignity, compassion, and respect regardless of where they live, what they earn, their background, or the circumstances that bring them through our doors,” said UNC Health Southeastern President and CEO Chris Ellington. “Earning an ‘A’ for Social Responsibility from the Lown Hospitals Index is meaningful because it validates our commitment to treating every patient fairly while delivering outstanding clinical care. We are honored to be the only hospital in our region to achieve this recognition, reinforcing our belief that great healthcare organizations must serve all people equally and effectively.”
“This recognition is especially meaningful when viewed alongside our recent ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group,” added Ellington. “Together, these honors demonstrate that our commitment extends beyond providing safe, high-quality care, we are equally dedicated to ensuring that care is accessible, equitable, and delivered with compassion to every member of our community. These achievements belong to our teammates, whose dedication proves every day that excellence in healthcare is not just about what we do, but how we do it and who we serve.”
While most rankings focus on clinical outcomes, the Lown Index takes into account the full breadth of what hospitals do as care providers, employers, and community partners. By setting these benchmarks, they seek to shine a light on those hospitals that provide exceptional, high-value patient care to all who need it in their community, and encourage all hospitals to follow their example.
“The Lown Index takes a comprehensive look at who hospitals are, their outcomes, their value, their commitment to community,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “An ‘A’ in social responsibility means a hospital has met high standards across the board."
The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. The Institute envisions a healthcare system focused on what’s best for people, like hospitals caring for those most in need, patients living without fear of financial distress, and health professionals finding joy in their roles. The Lown Hospitals Index is a signature project of The Lown Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
