Downey Medical Center Recognized as Top Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for Excellence in Maternal Care
Downey Medical Center, one of the 14 Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Southern California, has been honoured by both U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek for its exceptional maternity care. This recognition adds to the hospital's previous designation as a High Performing medical center for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report in 2025.
The latest accolades come from the 2025 and 2024 editions of Newsweek's Best Maternity Hospitals list, which recognizes hospitals for their commitment to delivering superior maternity care. Only half of all hospitals evaluated for U.S. News' 2025 ratings edition were recognized as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
U.S. News & World Report's evaluation of maternity care hospitals is based on objective measures of quality. Factors considered include rates of severe unexpected newborn complications, adherence to birthing-friendly practices promoting safer deliveries, transparency and reporting on racial and ethnic disparities, objective patient outcomes such as survival rates and discharge rates, patient experience and care factors like nurse staffing, specialist expert opinions, and the socioeconomic context of the patient population.
The "High Performing" designation, the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News' Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study, is a testament to Downey Medical Center's dedication to maintaining the highest levels of safety and quality for their patients. The hospital's care team has demonstrated excellence in pregnancy care, childbirth, and postpartum care.
Dr. JT Lee, area medical director of Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center, expressed his gratitude for the hospital's physicians' leadership in medical excellence. "We are committed to providing our patients with the best possible care, and this recognition is a reflection of our team's hard work and dedication," he said.
In addition to the maternity care recognition, Downey Medical Center has also been named a Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 Best Hospitals edition. The hospital has also been recognized as high performing for 10 adult medical specialties, procedures, and/or conditions by U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 Best Hospitals edition.
As one of 13 Kaiser Permanente Southern California hospitals to receive this designation, Downey Medical Center continues to set the standard for exceptional healthcare in the region. The hospital's commitment to quality care, transparency, and patient-centered approach is evident in its continued recognition by leading healthcare publications.
[1] U.S. News & World Report, "How we rank hospitals for maternity care," https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/methodologies/maternity-care [3] U.S. News & World Report, "How we rank hospitals for maternity care: Methodology," https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/methodologies/maternity-care-methodology
