Bloomington and Paoli IU Health maternity teams recognized by U.S. News & World Report in 2026 Best Hospitals list

IU Health Bloomington and IU Health Paoli Hospital work hard to ensure a safe, supportive and compassionate environment for their Perinatal patients. Those efforts were recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report (USNWR), which named these teams in its 2026 Best Hospitals as High Performing hospitals for Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy).

“Bringing a new life into the world is a momentous time for parents. Every member of our Labor and Delivery, Postpartum and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit teams dedicate themselves to providing the top-level care our patients need and deserve,” said Denzil Ross, IU Health South Region President. “I’d like to thank all of these team members for their compassionate, skilled care that makes such a difference in the lives of our youngest community members and their loved ones.”

USNWR evaluated approximately 900 hospitals for its 2026 ratings, which were evaluated based on factors including, but not limited to, C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates and birthing-friendly practices.

“Many of our team members grew up in these rural communities and are now ensuring their friends, family, neighbors, community members and visitors have a safe place to turn to when they’re welcoming their newest family members,” said Larry Bailey, IU Health Paoli Hospital Chief Operating Officer. “This small yet mighty team puts its whole heart into being that source of skilled support, and I’m very proud to see these efforts recognized.”

This is IU Health Bloomington’s third and IU Health Paoli’s second High Performing for Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) recognition by USNWR. In addition, IU Health Paoli Hospital was one of 147 facilities named a 2026 Maternity Care Access Hospital by USNWR.

“The Maternity Care Access Hospital designation highlights the important work our Paoli team does to ensure excellent maternity care is available for Orange County and our surrounding, rural communities,” said Bailey.

“IU Health is dedicated to making Indiana a healthier state, and these recognitions show how our Bloomington and Paoli teams are helping in that goal through leading-edge medicine, skilled professionals, whole person care and a personalized approach,” said Ross.

“Hospitals designated as a U.S. News Best Hospital for Maternity Care are national leaders. This recognition means they are consistently hitting crucial patient safety benchmarks compared to other hospitals,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. “It's a clear signal to expectant parents about where the highest standards of care are being practiced – when parents see this designation, they can be assured they are choosing a hospital dedicated to exceptional, evidence-based maternity care.”