Lakeland Regional Health Among U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care

LRH One of Only 13 Florida Hospitals To Be Named High Performing for Maternity Care

December 9, 2025

LAKELAND, Fla. – Lakeland Regional Health has been named High Performing for Maternity Care on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care list. This is the highest award a hospital can earn in the annual study.

To evaluate maternity care hospitals, U.S. News reviews data on factors such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices, and more.

“Earning this high-performing distinction in maternity care reflects the unwavering dedication, compassion, and expertise we bring to every mother, baby, and family we serve,” said Lori Shea, Lakeland Regional Health Associate Vice President, Women’s and Children’s Services. “We are proud that the excellent care provided to new parents and their children by our outstanding team has received national recognition.”

U.S. News & World Report also publishes a list of “best” hospitals and ratings for procedures and conditions each year; Lakeland Regional Health is also rated High Performing in other procedures and conditions, including abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, colon cancer surgery, heart arrhythmia, heart failure care, knee replacement, and pacemaker implantation.

At the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, Lakeland Regional Health offers Polk County’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the county’s only dedicated Children’s Emergency Department, and the Center for Fetal Care for women with high-risk pregnancies. Lakeland Regional Health also plays a key role in providing pediatric specialty care to the families it serves, including a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Surgery program.

“Throughout Lakeland Regional Health, our extraordinary providers are committed to delivering high-quality, individualized care to each patient,” said Timothy J. Regan, MD, President, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer of Lakeland Regional Health. “This national recognition is another wonderful example of our talented team’s dedication to their work and to the patients who entrust us with their care.”

About Lakeland Regional Health

Not-for-profit Lakeland Regional Health reaches beyond its hospital walls to promote wellness, education, and discovery in new places and new ways, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at its Medical Center, Hollis Cancer Center, and ambulatory care locations. Lakeland Regional Health earned Most Wired Advanced and Most Wired status 10 times since 2013 and has earned workplace awards from Forbes, Gallup, and Becker’s Hospital Review. Its 910-bed comprehensive tertiary referral hospital, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, operates the Jack and Tina Harrell Family Institute for Advanced Cardiovascular Medicine; a Trauma Center; the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, which includes a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; the Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine; and the Harrell Family Center for Behavioral Wellness.

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