All Nine Covenant Health Hospitals Recognized with Tennessee Zero Harm Awards for Patient Safety
- 4 minute read.
- Last Updated: 9/30/2026
Patient safety is at the heart of every interaction across Covenant Health. That commitment was recently recognized in a significant way, as all nine acute-care hospitals in the health system earned 2025 Zero Harm Awards from the Tennessee Hospital Association.
The awards recognize Tennessee hospitals that achieve exceptional patient safety outcomes by preventing healthcare-associated infections. Administered through the Tennessee Center for Patient Safety, the awards honor hospitals that foster a culture of safety, accountability and continuous improvement.
For Covenant Health, the recognition reflects the daily work of caregivers across the health system who share a common goal: providing safe, high-quality care for every patient.
A Systemwide Commitment to Safety
All nine Covenant Health acute-care hospitals received 2025 Zero Harm Awards:
The awards recognize performance in four key categories of healthcare-associated infection prevention:
- Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI)
- Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
- Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI)
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Preventing these infections requires coordination across multiple disciplines, from physicians and nurses to infection prevention specialists, environmental services teams and support staff. Success depends on consistent adherence to evidence-based practices and a culture where patient safety comes first.
“Having all nine of our acute-care hospitals recognized with Zero Harm Awards is a great accomplishment and reflects Covenant Health’s commitment to excellence across our entire health system,” said Mike Belbeck, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Covenant Health.
“This recognition demonstrates the effectiveness of the processes, accountability measures and collaboration that support high-quality care throughout our hospitals. It is a testament to the dedication of our caregivers and leaders who continually work to improve outcomes for the communities we serve.”
Protecting Patients Through Teamwork
Healthcare-associated infections can affect patient outcomes, extend hospital stays and increase the complexity of care. Reducing those risks requires vigilance at every level of the healthcare experience.
“Preventing healthcare-associated infections requires vigilance, teamwork and a relentless focus on evidence-based practices,” said Debbi Honey, MHA, RN, CPHQ, FACHE, CENP, FAONL, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Covenant Health.
“This recognition belongs to the physicians, nurses, infection prevention specialists, environmental services professionals and clinical teams whose daily efforts help protect patients and create safer healing environments.”
The recognition highlights not only individual hospital achievements but also the strength of a health system that shares best practices, quality initiatives and patient safety standards across the region.
Recognition Across Tennessee
According to the Tennessee Hospital Association, 100 hospitals statewide earned at least one Zero Harm Award for 2025. Just 16 hospitals achieved the highest level of recognition by reporting zero infections across all four hospital-wide categories.
Among those top performers was Covenant Health Claiborne, which earned recognition for achieving zero infections in all four categories.
Advancing Covenant Health’s Mission
At Covenant Health, patient safety is foundational to the organization’s mission of serving the community by improving the quality of life through better health. As East Tennessee’s only locally governed, not-for-profit health system of regional scale, Covenant Health serves 25 counties and reinvests resources into patient care, caregiver development, technology and services that benefit local communities.
The Zero Harm Awards reflect Covenant Health’s ongoing commitment to excellence and its pledge that the patient always comes first. Behind every award are caregivers whose expertise, collaboration and dedication help create safer healing environments for the patients and families who trust Covenant Health with their care.
