(RALEIGH)-- Rex Health Care and UNC He3alth Care have received top honors on a report card that measures patient safety.

The hospitals earned A's on a  nationwide survey that compared safety practices at hospitals around the country. The study highlights the country's best hospitals and warns patients about the worst ones. Rex Chief Medical Officer Linda Butler says, "Even something as simple as washing your hands. Anybody can do that. The patient should do it. The visitor should do it. Our staff should do it. You wash your hands before you touch a patient and after. You even wash your hands before you put gloves on."

Only eight of fifty-nine North Carolina hospitals earned the highest grade. You can get the full results and scores at hospitalsafetyscore.org.