Covenant Health's Acute-Care Hospitals Achieve Zero Harm Distinction Statewide
October 6, 2026, 4:18 p.m.

Debbi Honey,  MHA, RN, CPHQ, FACHE, CENP, FAONL, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Covenant Health	Mike Belbeck, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Covenant Health

KNOXVILLE - All nine acute-care hospitals within Covenant Health have received 2025 Zero Harm Awards from the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA). The awards recognize Tennessee hospitals and clinical departments for achieving exceptional patient safety outcomes by preventing healthcare-associated infections. 

Awards are presented in four categories:
• Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI)
• Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)
• Clostridium difficile Infections (CDI)
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

The awards are administered by THA's Tennessee Center for Patient Safety and recognize hospitals that foster a culture of safety, accountability and continuous improvement.

All Covenant Health hospitals received 2025 Zero Harm Awards:

• Cumberland Medical Center

• Covenant Health Claiborne

• Covenant Health Fort Loudoun

• Covenant Health LeConte

• Covenant Health Morristown-Hamblen

• Covenant Health Roane

• Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center

• Methodist Medical Center

• Parkwest Medical Center

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." 

Healthcare-associated infections can affect patient outcomes, extend hospital stays and increase the complexity of care. Preventing these infections requires diligence from physicians, nurses, environmental services teams and other caregivers who work together to create safe healing environments for patients and families. 

"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."

According to the Tennessee Hospital Association, 100 hospitals across the state earned at least one Zero Harm Award for 2025, and 16 achieved the highest recognition by reporting zero infections in all four hospital-wide categories, including Covenant Health Claiborne.

At Covenant Health, patient safety is foundational to the organization's mission of improving the quality of life through better health. As East Tennessee's locally governed, not-for-profit health system, Covenant Health continually invests in quality initiatives, caregiver education and evidence-based practices to enhance care across the communities it serves.