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Wesley Medical Center was established in 1912 by the Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church. Called the "house of healing on the hill," the institution grew, thanks to the hard work of its employees and the vision of its leaders.

Today, Wesley is the busiest hospital in the region, with nearly 32,000 inpatient admissions, 143,000 ER visits and close to 400,000 patient encounters. Wesley is a tertiary care center for the region, serving most of the state of Kansas and northern Oklahoma. It’s long been known as the “baby hospital.” That’s because more than 5,000 babies are born at Wesley every year – more than at any other hospital in the state. Wesley is the home of the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita's Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Program, training young physicians in the art and science of caring for pregnant women before, during and after childbirth.

While most babies born at Wesley are healthy, Wesley stands ready to care for those who aren't. As a Level III perinatal center (the highest designation), Wesley provides specialized care for women with high-risk pregnancies and for premature and critically ill newborns. Those patients are transferred to Wesley from hospitals throughout Kansas and the surrounding states. Premature and critically ill newborns are cared for in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, a state-of-the-art 36-bed unit, designed not only for its efficiency but also for the comfort of its tiny patients and their families. Care is provided by specially trained nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists. The care provided in the NICU and in the follow-up clinic is directed by seven in-house neonatologists, who provide 24-hour coverage, seven days a week.

Wesley Birth Care Suites

Wesley Birth Care Suites, which opened in September 1996, is a freestanding center with 20 birthing suites and two obstetric operative suites, as well as supporting delivery services available for expectant families. The facility, which was remodeled in 2017, is just north of the Wesley Medical Center campus. Resident involvement and participation is integral to this facility. Labor delivery and recovery, and the subsequent stay all take place in the same comfortable room where mother and baby stay together. Each suite includes a family room and private bathroom in addition to the mother's room. Caregiver beds are provided in each suite for family and friends to stay overnight. The facility provides a playroom for young siblings and a comfortable lobby where additional family members can await your baby's arrival. Expectant moms who are 37 weeks and without complications and who think they may be in labor - or their water has broken - may deliver at Wesley Birth Care Suites. PGY-2 residents manage laboring patients. The center functions similar to an outside tertiary center while still having the resources and capabilities of the largest delivery service in the region.

On-site Obstetric Anesthesia and several operating suites, as well as Neonatal Services, are immediately available. Mother and baby have the same room for the whole birth and recovery process. Bonding and breastfeeding are encouraged and nursing staff provides education and support. All of the technology of modern medicine is carefully blended with respect for one of the most intimate events in a patient's life. Approximately one-third of the deliveries occur in this low-risk obstetrical unit.

KU School of Medicine-Wichita

1010 North Kansas
Wichita, KS 67214-3199
316-293-2635