UNC Health Johnston receives top ratings for specialty care
UNC Health Johnston announced today it has achieved five-star ratings for specialty care, according to new research released by Healthgrades.
The hospital was rated five stars for treatment of stroke and outpatient back and neck surgery.
These achievements reflect UNC Health Johnston’s commitment to consistently delivering the best care possible and places the organization in the upper echelon of hospitals for specialty care nationwide.
“Our teams across all disciplines continuously strive to advance stroke care in our hospitals,” says Dr. Rodney McCaskill, chief medical officer. “Together with our partners at Johnston County Emergency Medical Services, we work quickly to give patients the best possible chance at a full recovery.”
UNC Health Johnston’s achievements are based solely on patient outcomes. As part of its 2025 hospital assessment, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for more than 30 of the most common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine the top performers in specialty care.
Healthgrades’ 2025 analysis revealed that if all hospitals as a group performed similarly to five-star hospitals during the 2021-2023 study period, on average, 224,958 lives could potentially have been saved and 141,692 complications could potentially have been avoided.*
“Healthgrades commends UNC Health Johnston for their clear commitment to delivering consistently superior patient outcomes in stroke treatment and back and neck surgery,” said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer at Healthgrades. “UNC Health Johnston’s leadership, expertise, and unwavering dedication to clinical excellence set a high mark for specialty care in North Carolina and nationwide.”
Consumers can visit healthgrades.com to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality and access a patient-friendly overview of how we rate and why hospital quality matters here.
*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2021 through 2023 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view the complete 2025 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology.
About UNC Health Johnston
UNC Health Johnston has been Johnston County’s primary health care system since 1951. Based in Smithfield, with a second location in Clayton, the hospital is an integral part of the county’s growth and development. Johnston is committed to its community, focused on quality health care, and invested in well-being. As part of the UNC Health system, Johnston holds itself to the highest standards of quality and excellence and is committed to bringing expert care close to home.
About Healthgrades
Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering meaningful connections between patients, doctors, and hospitals. As the #1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content.
For over 20 years, our health system, group practice, and life sciences marketing solutions have helped our partners reach and engage consumers on their way to the doctor.
Healthgrades is part of RVO Health, a partnership between Red Ventures and Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group. RVO Health has the largest consumer health and wellness audience online across its brand portfolio, including Healthgrades, Healthline, Medical News Today, Greatist, Psych Central and Bezzy, which touch every part of the health and wellness journey. RVO Health helps more than 100 million unique visitors live their strongest and healthiest lives each month.
