Awarded High Performing hospital for Maternity Care for the fifth consecutive year
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif.: Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) has been named as a 2026 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report (USNWR), the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of USNWR’s Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study and is the fifth consecutive year SCVMC has received the honor. SCVMC is part of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, the public hospital system for the County of Santa Clara and California’s second-largest public system.
“The maternity care at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is second to none, so it is no surprise that it has once again been recognized as “High Performing” by U.S. News and World Report,’’ said County Supervisor Betty Duong. “I was born there, my sisters were born there, and I insisted on having my daughter there.”
USNRW rates hospitals that provide labor and deliveries 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.
For five consecutive years, SCVMC has 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.
“We’re committed to providing a comprehensive, accessible, and inclusive care for birthing families,” said Paul E. Lorenz, Chief Executive Officer for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare. “This recognition is due to our wonderful doctors, nurses, lactation specialists, and all members of the staff who care for our families and new babies. Santa Clara Valley Medical Center cherishes the role we have in caring for families at this special time.”
As a Baby-Friendly designated hospital, SCVMC has participated in quality improvement collaboratives and implemented patient safety practices in order to improve maternal outcomes. The Family Baby Unit and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit have also been recognized with a PRC 5-Star Award for Excellence for improving patient experiences, healthcare employee engagement, and/or physician alignment and engagement based on surveys.
“Our care teams are dedicated to delivering the highest level of care with compassion and helping families create magical moments when welcoming a child,” said Dr. James Byrne, Chair of the SCVMC Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. “Five years of being recognized as high performing is a testament to the care we provide and our highly coordinated system of maternal-newborn care resources in our clinics and hospitals.”
SCVMC is part of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, California’s second-largest public health and hospital system that operates four hospitals and a network of primary and specialty care clinics for the County of Santa Clara. Maternity care joins SCVMC’s rankings of High Performing from U.S. News and World Report in the areas of diabetes, heart failure, pacemaker implantation, pneumonia, and stroke. SCVMC is also ranked number seven nationally in rehabilitation among USNWR’s latest edition of Best Hospitals.
About Santa Clara Valley Healthcare
Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH), California’s second-largest County-owned health and hospital system, is comprised of four acute care hospitals, O’Connor Hospital, Regional Medical Center, St. Louise Regional Hospital, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, along with a network of primary and specialty clinics. SCVH emphasizes quality care, research, teaching, innovation, and most importantly, a focus on coordinated, compassionate and patient-centered care for every patient. SCVH is also the home for the County’s Custody Health Services department, providing medical attention to those under our care. Our mission is to provide high-quality, accessible healthcare, and excellent service to everyone in Santa Clara County, regardless of their social-economic status or ability to pay.
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