Rankings & Recognitions

NKC Health’s metabolic and bariatric surgery center, the Total Weight Loss, is accredited as a Comprehensive Center Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. This accreditation demonstrates the center’s commitment to provide multidisciplinary, high-quality, patient-centered care.

NKC Health's cancer program is nationally recognized and accredited by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons. At a CoC accredited facility, patients receive access to quality care, comprehensive state-of-the-art services and equipment, a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment options, access to cancer clinical trials, education and support, lifelong patient follow-up, and ongoing monitoring and improvement of care. 
To receive and maintain CoC accreditation, facilities undergo a rigorous evaluation and performance review process that includes an on-site review every three years.

U.S. News & World Report

• High Performing in colon cancer surgery
• High Performing in leukemia, lymphoma & myeloma
   

U.S. News & World Report

• High Performing in Diabetes 
   

(2024) Healthgrades recognized NKC Health with the Healthgrades Gastrointestinal (GI) Care Excellence Award™ and GI Surgery Excellence Award™ for 2024. Hospital quality is evaluated annually in 16 specialty care areas for clinical outcomes. These honors rank NKC Health in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for GI care and GI surgery.

The annual Healthgrades Specialty Excellence Awards™ and Ratings are announced in conjunction with the annual Specialty Excellence Report. More than 45 million Medicare claims are analyzed for mortality and complication rates at approximately 4,500 hospitals. The results are published to help consumers compare quality and identify the best options for their care needs.

Get With the Guidelines 

NKC Health is proud to announce for the third consecutive year, the American Heart Association awarded us the highest level of recognition. Among NKC Health’s seven awards is a third consecutive Gold Plus Award for Heart Failure. The awards reflect NKC Health’s commitment to providing quality care for heart failure and resuscitation patients, grounded in the latest research and evidence-based guidelines.

STEMI Center - Level I

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Time Critical Diagnosis Unit designated NKC Health as a Level I STEMI center. STEMI is a common name for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), a serious heart attack caused by a blockage in one of the heart’s main arteries. NKC Health is the only hospital in the Northland, and only one of three hospitals in the metro, to achieve the elite Level I designation, the highest level awarded.

National Cardiovascular Data Registry^®

Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award 

(2012-2025) For the 13^th consecutive year, NKC Health received the American College of Cardiology’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry^® Chest Pain - MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award. To earn this award, NKC Health demonstrated commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. NKC Health also sustained achievement in the Chest Pain - MI Registry for eight consecutive quarters and performed at the top level of standards for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

Comprehensive Cardiac Center

Offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association, Comprehensive Cardiac Center certification demonstrates NKC Health’s ability to deliver high-quality care at every patient touchpoint. Certification also means that NKC Health provides the next generation of cardiac care.

Accredited by IAC for: Echocardiography, Vascular Testing, PET and Nuclear Cardiology

PET Accreditation

NKC Health received Positron Emission Tomography (PET) accreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. The accreditation process involved a thorough review of all aspects of the hospital's nuclear medicine program, including physicians, staff, equipment and level of patient care.

Nuclear Cardiology Accreditation

NKC Health received Nuclear Cardiology accreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. The accreditation process involved a thorough review of all aspects of the hospital's nuclear medicine program, including physicians, staff, equipment and level of patient care.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

NKC Health's cardiac rehabilitation program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. We earned this national accreditation by meeting the standards published in the Guidelines for Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation.

U.S. News & World Report

• High Performing in Heart failure – USNWR
• High Performing in Heart attack – USNWR
• High Performing in Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair – USNWR  
• High Performing in Heart arrhythmia - USNWR
• High Performing in pacemaker implantation - USNWR  
• High Performing in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) – USNWR  
   

NKC Health's laboratory is accredited by the College of American Pathologists' (CAP) Laboratory Accreditation Program, an internationally recognized program approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

NKC Health is the only hospital in the Northland with a AACVPR-certified pulmonary rehab program. The three-year certification by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a recognition of our cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation program because we offer the most advanced practices available.

Best Hospital for Maternity

For the fourth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has named NKC Health a 2026 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care, the highest recognition the publication awards. The honor follows NKC Health’s recent High Performing ratings in 14 areas of care in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals 2025-2026 rankings published in July of 2025.

Named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2025. This honor is awarded to 444 hospitals in the United States that provide high-quality maternity care from pregnancy and birth to postpartum care. Newsweek Best Maternity Hospital 2025 Statista, a data and business intelligence portal, compiles the list based on a nationwide online survey of hospital managers and medical professionals and public data from hospital surveys.

Joint Commission Certification and Verification

In collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The Joint Commission verified NKC Health as a Level II maternal care facility in full compliance with state and federal guidelines. A Level II NICU must meet all requirements for high-risk pregnancies and can detect, stabilize and manage unexpected maternal or neonatal problems until the patient can be transferred to a specialty facility.

Additionally, we have an Advanced Certification in Perinatal Care.

U.S. News & World Report

• High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy)

Additional Recognitions

• Safe Sleep Certified Hospital by Cribs for Kids
• Birth Friendly Hospital by CMS

U.S. News & World Report

• High Performing in Kidney failure

North Kansas City Hospital, an entity of NKC Health, has a Nurse Residency Practice Transition Program that is Accredited with Distinction by the American Nurse Credentialing Center.

Offered in collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Joint Replacement Registry, certified Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee programs must demonstrate a comprehensive program. From the first pre-surgery consultation and pre-surgery preparations to surgery, hospitalization, and post-acute recovery, surveyors evaluated the entire continuum of care. After demonstrating the ability to effectively collaborate with all care providers, this certification means that NKC Health has met and seeks to maintain The Joint Commission’s high standards in providing orthopedic care.

NKC Health has additional certification from The Joint Commission for Advanced Spine Surgery.

U.S. News & World Report

• High Performing in Knee replacement
• High Performing in Hip replacement
• High Performing in Back surgery
• High Performing in Hip fracture
   

NKC Health Pharmacy conducts two residency programs which are structured, one year training programs designed to build upon the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. Three postgraduate year one (PGY1) general residents and one postgraduate year two (PGY2) specialty residency in Emergency Medicine are matched annually. Both programs are accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, NKC Health is the only facility to offer the PGY2 Emergency Medicine specialty residency in the state of Missouri.

The Joint Commission

Offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, Advanced Primary Stroke Center certification reflects NKC Health’s long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients. Certification also means that NKC Health’s stroke program has met and seeks to maintain The Joint Commission’s high standards in providing stroke care.

Get With the Guidelines Gold Plus Award

The American Stroke Association awarded the highest level of recognition to NKC Health, a fourth consecutive Gold Plus Award for Stroke Care. The award reflects our commitment to providing quality care for stroke patients, grounded in the latest research and evidence-based guidelines.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Time Critical Diagnosis Unit designated NKC Health as a Level II Trauma Center, a certification the hospital has held since 1981. This voluntary designation means we provide definitive care to high volumes of trauma patients within our region.

• NKC Health's Wound Care is the only facility in the Northland and one of only six centers in Missouri with accreditation by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society, the recognized authority in the field of hyperbaric medicine.
• Accreditation through The Total Joint Commission