St. Joseph Regional Medical Center Named U.S. News & World Report 2024 Maternity Care Access Hospital

SJRMC is one of 73 hospitals nationwide to earn the inaugural designation by U.S. News & World Report.

LEWISTON, Idaho (December 5, 2023) – U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named St. Joseph Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) as a 2024 Maternity Care Access Hospital, an inaugural designation.

For the very first time, U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care evaluation recognizes 73 “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” across the nation. These essential hospitals provide quality care to expectant parents who wouldn’t otherwise have access to maternity care and serve communities that would otherwise be maternity care deserts.

“It is exciting to again be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best hospitals for maternity care,” said Ed Freysinger, CEO of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. “This new designation as a ‘Maternity Care Access Hospital’ acknowledges the critical role our community hospital plays in delivering the right services to meet the needs of the friends, families, and ‘Dear Neighbors’ we serve. To be one of only 73 hospitals nationwide to earn this accolade is a testament to our maternity care team and the positive impact they have on the health and well-being of our community.”

“Being named a Maternity Care Access Hospital is a special recognition of hospitals across the U.S. which serve communities that depend on them for access to vital maternity care services,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “While an increasing number of maternity care deserts in parts of the country have left millions of people without local access to maternity care, these hospitals persist in providing this vital service to under-resourced communities.”

The U.S. News Maternity Care Access Hospitals designation is based on a number of measures including geographic isolation, number of obstetric providers per 10,000 births, and hospital quality. Quality measures are outlined in the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology. SJRMC is also included in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings published today. The hospital earned a High Performing rating, the highest possible.

St. Joseph Regional Medical Center has a team of obstetrics and gynecology physicians and a certified nurse midwife, supported by skilled nursing and support staff. They include: Geneen Bigsby, DO; Lindsay Kern, MD; Leif Sjoren, DO; Alex Watson, MD; and Andrea Hedrick, CNM.

More information about these providers can be found at sjrmc.org/find-a-doctor. For more information about the U.S. News  World Report maternity hospital ratings, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care and use #BestMaternityHospitals on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.