SHAWNEE MISSION, Kan. – December 12, 2025 – U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named AdventHealth Shawnee Mission as a 2026 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study, now in its fifth edition.
U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. For the 2026 edition, approximately 900 hospitals nationwide submitted maternity data for evaluation. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings are intended to assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care providers, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.
“All expectant parents deserve exceptional care when welcoming their newborns. This designation from the globally recognized U.S. News & World Report affirms that our Birth Center team has proven to consistently provide safe, reliable and expert care throughout all stages of our patients’ labor and delivery experiences,” said Raimonda Shelton, chief nursing officer at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission.
AdventHealth Shawnee Mission earned a High Performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, and birthing-friendly practices, among other measures.
“Hospitals designated as a U.S. News Best Hospital for Maternity Care are national leaders. This recognition means they are consistently hitting crucial patient safety benchmarks compared to other hospitals,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. “It’s a clear signal to expectant parents about where the highest standards of care are being practiced – when parents see this designation, they can be assured they are choosing a hospital dedicated to exceptional, evidence-based maternity care.”
For more information, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care and use #BestMaternityHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and X.
About AdventHealth in Kansas City
AdventHealth in Kansas City is a connected care network of more than 4,000 team members who help people feel whole – body, mind and spirit. Our care footprint in the Kansas City region includes AdventHealth Shawnee Mission in Merriam, KS; AdventHealth Lenexa City Center; AdventHealth Prairie Star; AdventHealth College Boulevard; AdventHealth South Overland Park; AdventHealth Centra Care and AdventHealth Medical Group. Nationally at AdventHealth, more than 100,000 team members provide whole-person care for millions of people annually through more than 2,000 care sites that include hospitals, physician practices, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, hospice centers, the AdventHealth app and more. Our wholistic approach to improving the health and prosperity of our communities is inspired by our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ. Visit AdventHealthKC.com for more information.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
Contact: Nicole Fowler, 816-217-5704