The University of Kansas Health System does not receive state or local funding. As a not-for-profit, we reinvest our revenue into facilities, technology and resources that elevate the level of patient care we provide.

Our Origins

The history of The University of Kansas Health System is a tale of triumph. We have evolved into a destination academic medical center sought out by patients and top-notch medical professionals from around the country. Our reputation as the region’s premier academic medical center was hard earned through a collective vision and commitment to unmatched patient care.

With his donation of land in 1905, Simeon Bell, MD, set the stage for academic medicine in Kansas City and the region. His gift led to the establishment of a hospital founded in 1906 as part of the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

The hospital marked an important milestone in 1998, when it became an independent hospital authority, no longer part of the School of Medicine, ending 92 years of state governance. The hospital's official name became The University of Kansas Hospital. In less than two decades, the hospital has transformed itself from a facility facing enormous challenges to one of the nation's top academic medical centers. This  turnaround is a testament of the vision and dedication of our physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and staff - and our steadfast focus on putting the patient first.

Hospital Milestones

• 1998: The University of Kansas Hospital is created by the Kansas legislature as an independent authority.
• 1999: KU MedWest opens in Shawnee.
•  2000: Level 1 Trauma Center is verified. The region’s only nationally verified center, ensuring the highest-quality care for trauma victims.
•  2001: World-class cardiac care program is established. Mid-America Cardiology and MidAmerica Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons join the hospital and establish a world-class comprehensive cardiac care program for patients throughout the region.
• 2003: Sixth floor is added to the hospital.
• 2006: The Center for Advanced Heart Care opens and the hospital earns Magnet accreditation. Recognition indicates high-quality patient care and nursing excellence.
• 2007: U.S. News & World Report names one of the hospital specialties as one of the nation’s best for the first time.  Heart & Heart Surgery secures a ranking as the 30th best in the nation.
• 2007: Westwood, Kansas, outpatient cancer care facility opens. A $20 million gift from Annette Bloch enhances patient care programs, and the facility is named the Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Care Pavilion.
• 2010: Burns & McDonnell High-Risk Prostate Cancer Prevention Program is established. Burns & McDonnell announces $1 million gift.
• 2011: Hospital becomes the official healthcare provider of the Kansas City Royals. In 2012, the hospital becomes the official healthcare provider of the Kansas City Chiefs. 
• 2012: Hospital becomes the Official Healthcare Provider for All-Star Week, including the 2012 All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium
• 2012: The University of Kansas Cancer Center becomes one of just 68 facilities nationwide to earn National Cancer Institute designation.
• 2012: Hospital earns Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center designation. The hospital is the first in Kansas City to earn this designation for high-quality stroke care.
• 2012: Indian Creek Campus opens. The University of Kansas Hospital – Indian Creek Campus in Johnson County, Kansas, helps meet increased demand for surgical care.
• 2013: Center for Transplantation opens. The center provides comprehensive care for liver, kidney and pancreas transplant patients in one location.
• 2013: U.S. News & World Report names us one of the nation’s best hospitals. The magazine lists us among the nation’s top 50 hospitals for adult care in nine medical and surgical specialties. We are also named the No. 1 hospital in Kansas City, the region and the state of Kansas. We have made the Best Hospitals list every year since 2007.
• 2013: Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing combines services with the hospital to offer additional support, programs and health resources to patients and their families.
• 2013: Blood and marrow transplant program provides more than 2,000 transplants. The region’s largest blood and marrow transplant program established in 1977, offers lifesaving procedures for leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers.
• 2013: Neonatal Medical Home opens. The first neonatal medical home in the nation offering a comprehensive range of specialized services in one location for babies who began life in our Neonatal ICU.
• 2014: With the establishment of the Dolph C. Simons, Jr., Family Broadcast Studio, a state of the art broadcast studio capable of connecting live to news organization around the world, the hospital creates the Medical News Network, ushering in a new era of hospital communications.
• 2014: The hospital leads a team creating the Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative with a $12.5 million federal grant to improve hear and stroke outcomes in Western Kansas.
• 2014:  The hospital announces it will construct a 92-bed hospital across 39th to be called Cambridge North.  Both Burns & McDonnell’s Foundation and the company’s CEO, Greg Graves and his wife, make significant contributions to kick off fundraising.
• 2014: Philanthropist Annette Bloch pledges $10 million in matching funds via a challenge grant to support Cambridge North Tower.
• 2015: The children’s inpatient psychiatric hospital facility at the Marillac facility becomes The University of Kansas Hospital – Marillac Campus.
• 2015:  The Kansas City Royals are World Champions, and The University of Kansas Hospital is by their side with not only providing healthcare for the players but for a record number of baseball fans.
• 2015: U.S. News & World Report names us on all 12 of its data driven “Best Hospital” lists for the second year in a row.  For the sixth year in a row, The University of Kansas Hospital was named the “Best Hospital in Kansas City” and for the fourth year in a row was named the “The Best Hospital in Kansas.”  
• 2016: Record patient volume leads the Hospital Authority Board to expand Cambridge North by four floors before the construction is even halfway finished.  Plans still call for the original 7 story building to open in 2017.  
• 2016: The University of Kansas Hospital achieves Magnet designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program for a third consecutive term. Only 3.7 percent of nation's hospitals earn the designation three times in a row.
• 2016: Partnership between Stormont Vail Health and The University of Kansas Hospital in Radiation Oncology announced.
• 2016: For the fifth year in a row, The University of Kansas Hospital earns the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice Award for Kansas City including best nurses, best doctors, best overall reputation and best overall quality.
• 2017: Agreements signed on historic partnership of Hays Medical Center and The University of Kansas Hospital.
• 2017: The University of Kansas Hospital joins with the University of Kansas Physicians to form The University of Kansas Health System.
• More