KAISER PERMANENTE OREGON HOSPITALS RECOGNIZED AS “ 2026 BEST HOSPITALS FOR MATERNITY CARE” BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT - 12/10/25

KAISER PERMANENTE OREGON HOSPITALS RECOGNIZED AS “ 2026 BEST HOSPITALS FOR MATERNITY CARE” BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

[PORTLAND, Ore.]  December 10, 2025  —  Kaiser Permanente’s Sunnyside and Westside medical centers have been designated as “2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” by U.S. News & World Report for providing high-quality maternity care to patients.

This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study. Kaiser Permanete’s medical centers are the only hospitals in the Portland metro area to receive this recognition.

Kaiser Permanente’s maternity care teams have served thousands of families who entrusted us with their care. Through November of 2025, Sunnyside Medical Center delivered 1,995 babies and our Westside Medical Center delivered 1,183 babies.

U.S. News recognizes hospitals that meet rigorous standards in caring for patients with uncomplicated pregnancies. These ratings are intended to help expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, make informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.

“We are honored that both Kaiser Permanente hospitals have been recognized for excellence in maternity care,” said Elizabeth Melendez, M.D., chief of obstetrics and gynecology for Kaiser Permanente Northwest. “Supporting pregnant patients and their babies through this extraordinary milestone is a privilege we never take for granted. This recognition reflects the unwavering dedication of our integrated hospital and maternity teams to deliver compassionate, high-quality care and uphold the highest standards every single day.”

The Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside and Westside medical centers earned the high performing designation based on measures of quality, such as such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices and transparency on racial and ethnic disparities, among other measures.

“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.”

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. 

This year, the national designation was awarded to only 495 hospitals in the United States, or about 55% of the 899 hospitals that participated.

For more information, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technological advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.

Eugene Doctor Advises On Pneumonia Vaccines/Interviews Today - 12/09/25

Interviews available Today:  

EUGENE, Ore. (December 8, 2025) ~ As respiratory-illness season gets under way, physicians at Kaiser Permanente Northwest remind our communities that a safe and effective vaccine is available to prevent serious lung infections caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, commonly called pneumococcal disease – including pneumonia.

“Pneumonia infections can be life-threatening, especially for older adults and people with chronic health conditions,” said Dr. Mark Mueller of Kaiser Permanente Northwest. “Vaccination gives strong protection from the most common type of pneumonia, and it’s one of the smartest things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones this time of year.”

Pneumonia is of the most common and dangerous respiratory infections in the U.S., often striking suddenly and leading to hospitalization or death, particularly among older adults and people with chronic illnesses. (The recent deaths of Diane Keaton, 79, and Dick Cheney, 84, have brought more attention to the serious nature of the lung infection.) Because the infection spreads easily through coughing or close contact, experts say vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and those around you before illness strikes. 

The CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for children younger than 5 years and adults 50 years or older. The CDC also recommends pneumococcal vaccination for children and adults at increased risk for pneumococcal disease. Children also receive pneumococcal conjugate vaccines as part of the routine immunization schedule. Even healthy adults should review their vaccination history with their care team, as recommendations depend on age, medical history, and prior vaccines.

Interviews available today:  

Dr. Mark Mueller, physician with Kaiser Permanente Northwest in Eugene, is available for Zoom interviews on Today, December 9 from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. Contact Kim Mounts to schedule. 

Dr. Mueller is prepared to discuss: 

• The latest pneumococcal-vaccine recommendations for adults and children 
• Why pneumonia remains a serious threat despite being preventable 
• How the vaccine fits into broader respiratory-illness prevention (including flu and COVID) 
• Who is at greatest risk and what individuals can do to protect themselves  

About Kaiser Permanente 
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve nearly 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, please visit: about.kaiserpermanente.org. 

Doctor's Advice Pneumonia Vaccine-Interviews Available - 12/08/25

EUGENE, Ore. (December 8, 2025) ~ As respiratory-illness season gets under way, physicians at Kaiser Permanente Northwest remind our communities that a safe and effective vaccine is available to prevent serious lung infections caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, commonly called pneumococcal disease – including pneumonia.

“Pneumonia infections can be life-threatening, especially for older adults and people with chronic health conditions,” said Dr. Mark Mueller of Kaiser Permanente Northwest. “Vaccination gives strong protection from the most common type of pneumonia, and it’s one of the smartest things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones this time of year.”

Pneumonia is of the most common and dangerous respiratory infections in the U.S., often striking suddenly and leading to hospitalization or death, particularly among older adults and people with chronic illnesses. (The recent deaths of Diane Keaton, 79, and Dick Cheney, 84, have brought more attention to the serious nature of the lung infection.) Because the infection spreads easily through coughing or close contact, experts say vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and those around you before illness strikes. 

The CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for children younger than 5 years and adults 50 years or older. The CDC also recommends pneumococcal vaccination for children and adults at increased risk for pneumococcal disease. Children also receive pneumococcal conjugate vaccines as part of the routine immunization schedule. Even healthy adults should review their vaccination history with their care team, as recommendations depend on age, medical history, and prior vaccines.

Interviews available:  

Dr. Mark Mueller, physician with Kaiser Permanente Northwest in Eugene, is available for Zoom interviews on Tuesday, December 9 from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. Contact Kim Mounts to schedule. 

Dr. Mueller is prepared to discuss: 

• The latest pneumococcal-vaccine recommendations for adults and children 
• Why pneumonia remains a serious threat despite being preventable 
• How the vaccine fits into broader respiratory-illness prevention (including flu and COVID) 
• Who is at greatest risk and what individuals can do to protect themselves  

About Kaiser Permanente 
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve nearly 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, please visit: about.kaiserpermanente.org. 

INTERVIEWS: Doctor’s Advice On Pneumonia Vaccines - 12/03/25

• The latest pneumococcal-vaccine recommendations for adults and children 

• Why pneumonia remains a serious threat despite being preventable 

• How the vaccine fits into broader respiratory-illness prevention (including flu and COVID) 

• Who is at greatest risk and what individuals can do to protect themselves  

Dentists Deliver Free Dental Care In Clark County (Photo) - 11/21/25

Kaiser Permanente Dental teams showed their commitment to community health during a free community dental clinic at Cascade Park Dental Office in Vancouver, Wash., on Saturday, Nov. 15. In partnership with Kaiser Permanente Northwest Community Health and the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington, the event provided essential dental services to 39 patients, delivering more than $28,000 in care to neighbors who need it most.

Volunteer dentists Lloyd Chang, DDS; Matthew Chung, DDS; Benjamin An, DDS; Mailiki Patterson, DDS; Hatai Jivagunchainan, DMD; and Thien-Y Hoang, DMD worked alongside nearly 30 Kaiser Permanente Dental team members who supported patient care, clinic operations and outreach. The clinic is part of Kaiser Permanente’s ongoing effort to improve access to care for vulnerable community members across Clark County.

“Access to dental care is crucial to overall health and wellness,” said Thien-y Hoang, DMD. “When people live with significant dental decay or oral infections, it isn’t just painful — it can put real strain on the body. Those infections increase the risk of bacteria entering the bloodstream, which can lead to heart problems and weaken the immune system. Helping patients address these issues is one of the most meaningful ways we can support their health.”

WESTSIDE MEDICAL CENTER RECOGNIZED FOR PATIENT SAFETY - 11/18/25

Kaiser Permanent’s Westside Medical Center earns an “A” for limiting patient injuries, reducing medical errors, and preventing infections, according to the Leapfrog Group

HILLSBORO, Ore., Nov. 18, 2025 – Kaiser Permanente’s Westside Medical Center has been recognized as among the best in Oregon for patient safety by The Leapfrog Group. Westside Medical Center earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from the national nonprofit organization that serves as a voice for health care consumers and purchasers.

“This recognition reflects the unwavering commitment of our Westside Medical Center teams to deliver exceptional care,” said Adam Van Den Avyle, Kaiser Permanente’s Northwest Hospital Administrator. “Their dedication to quality and patient safety is truly inspiring, and I’m grateful for their continued efforts to set the highest standards for our community.”

Leapfrog assesses hospitals on approximately two dozen measures, including patient injuries, medical and medication errors, and infections. Hospitals receive an A through F depending on their performance.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day nationally. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

To see Westside Medical Center’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.