Piedmont Macon North Hospital has been named one of the best hospitals in America by the digital platform Money.

A total of 148 hospitals across the country made Money’s inaugural list, which was unveiled this week, and Piedmont Macon North is one of just three hospitals in Georgia to make the cut. Money selected its top hospitals in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization that focuses on quality and healthcare safety. Money and The Leapfrog Group teamed up to narrow down a list of more than 6,000 hospitals in the country to the ones that “consistently deliver the safest, highest-value care for patients and excellence in hospital experience,” according to Money, which previously published Money magazine.

“Our healthcare team’s top priorities in delivering care are Quality, Safety and Service while caring for the community we are so proud to be a part of, and this recognition demonstrates our commitment to those pillars of our care delivery,” said Stephen J. Daugherty, chief executive officer of Piedmont Macon North and Piedmont Macon Medical Centers.

The 148 hospitals chosen represent a wide range of healthcare facilities, including general, children’s, teaching and rural hospitals. Money used criteria such as a hospital’s infection rates, medication management, hand hygiene practices and critical care in making its selections. Meanwhile, Leapfrog tracked various measures from high-risk surgeries at the hospitals, including bariatric surgery for weight loss and hip replacement surgery, among others.

To qualify for Money’s list, hospitals were required to have scored an “A” on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assessment from the fall of 2021. Leapfrog used data from 39 performance measures in seven different categories, including inpatient care management, complex surgeries, outpatient procedures and infection rates. Hospitals were disqualified from making Money’s list if they scored a “C” or lower on the most recent Leapfrog assessment from the spring or if they exceeded national mortality rates for heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or coronary bypass surgery.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people think about healthcare, and “Money’s Best Hospitals will help readers navigate this new normal with these great recommendations,” said Mike Ayers, executive editor at Money.

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said her organization is “honored to partner with Money to recognize hospitals that truly put patients first.”

“Americans are heavily invested in our health care system, and we have a right to expect the best quality in return,” she said. “Money recognizes that hospitals on this list meet the highest standards of quality and safety and tirelessly work to improve health care in their communities across the country.”

Piedmont Macon North is a 103-bed hospital that offers expertise in a variety of specialties including general surgery, orthopedic care, spine care and gastric reflux disease. The hospital, located at 400 Charter Blvd., became part of Piedmont Healthcare on Aug. 1, 2021.