Downey Kaiser makes Newsweek’s list of top maternity hospitals

Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center. Photo by Pam Lane, DowneyDailyPhotos.com

DOWNEY — Whether helping moms recover more quickly after a cesarean birth or protecting families and babies during the COVID- 19 pandemic, Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center has a reputation for top-notch maternity care. 

Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center was one of 22 Kaiser Permanente hospitals recognized among the “Best Maternity Care Hospitals 2020” by Newsweek magazine. The elite designation, awarded to only 231 hospitals in the United States, identifies leading maternity care programs based on rigorous quality and safety standards. Kaiser Permanente hospitals represent nearly 10% of those named to the prestigious list nationwide – and 44.4% of those listed in California.

Newsweek’s Best Maternity Care Hospitals demonstrate the highest performance in the United States as verified by the 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Designated hospitals meet Leapfrog’s rigorous standards for excellence in maternity care — including low rates of C-section, episiotomy (an incision to enlarge the vaginal opening for childbirth), and early elective delivery — and follow important protocols to protect moms and babies, among other measures. Additionally, all of the hospitals named earned either an A or B on the Spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.

The Kaiser Permanente hospitals that received the “Best Maternity Care Hospitals 2020” designation in Southern California are: Anaheim, Downey, Fontana, Panorama City, Riverside, San Diego, West Los Angeles and Woodland Hills. 

For more details on methodology and a complete list of designated maternity care programs, please visit Newsweek’s “Best Maternity Care Hospitals 2020.”