Onslow Memo­r­i­al Hos­pi­tal earns ​“A” for Health Equi­ty on nation­al ranking

Onslow Memorial Hospital among best in the nation at serving its community, according to healthcare think tank

August 12, 2024 – JACKSONVILLE, NC — Onslow Memorial Hospital has been recognized by the Lown Institute for excellence in health equity, receiving an “A” grade on the 2024-25 Lown Institute Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility. Onslow Memorial Hospital achieved this honor through strong performance across metrics of community benefit, pay equity, and inclusivity out of more than 3,500 hospitals nationwide.

Onslow Memorial Hospital ranked 6 out of 77 hospitals in North Carolina on Lown’s equity metric. According to the Index, the hospital also performed well on Lown’s Pay Equity, Health Equity, and Inclusivity metrics. These are independent rankings and hospitals do not apply or pay to be listed.

“It is our mission to provide excellent patient health services in a healing and family-centered environment, and this means we must partner with patients to reduce gaps and find ways to increase access to quality care,” said Dr. Penney Burlingame Deal, Chief Executive Officer and President of Onslow Memorial Hospital. “We are beyond appreciative to receive this recognition as it reflects our commitment to equity, inclusion, and community health.”

“Great care is only great if everyone can access it,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “We need hospitals to be strong community partners -- and these hospitals at the top of our list are showing the way.”

The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to combine metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes, for more than 2,700 acute care and 800 critical access hospitals nationwide—offering a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners. In the fifth annual rankings, the 2024-25 Lown Index evaluates hospitals on over 50 measures including novel metrics such as community benefit, racial inclusivity, and avoidance of overuse. Data sources include Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, and IRS 990 forms, among others.

The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. Learn more at www.LownHospitalsIndex.org

(910) 353-7848.

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About Onslow Memorial: Onslow Memorial Hospital (OMH), originally founded in 1944, stands as a 162-bed acute care, community hospital located in coastal North Carolina, serving the city of Jacksonville and greater Onslow County. Onslow Memorial Hospital is nationally accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC) and a proud affiliate of UNC Health Care.