When it comes to healthcare, Springfield punches well above its weight. Two nationally recognized health systems — CoxHealth and Mercy — call the city home, each operating a Level 1 Trauma Center, the highest designation for emergency care. Mercy also houses the region’s only burn center. Add to that Jordan Valley Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center with 10 clinic locations across the region, and Springfield offers a depth and quality of medical care typically found in cities twice its size. For anyone weighing where to put down roots, that’s a meaningful advantage.
CoxHealth, Mercy, Ozarks Community Hospital, and Jordan Valley Community Health Center collectively form Springfield’s major healthcare providers. Springfield healthcare community offers a wide range of medical services, cutting-edge technology, and community engagement. These institutions play a key role in ensuring accessible and comprehensive healthcare for the local population while also contributing to medical research, education, and community well-being.
is one of the region’s leading health systems, serving southwest Missouri with six hospitals, more than 80 physician clinics, five emergency rooms, and a broad network of specialty and urgent care facilities.
The system is Missouri’s first accredited by DNV Healthcare for quality and patient safety, has appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals list for seven consecutive years, and ranks among the top 10% of U.S. hospitals for patient safety.
CoxHealth continues to invest in expanding access to specialized care. In March 2026, it opened St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth, the only independently licensed, full-service pediatric hospital in southwest Missouri. Located on the Cox Medical Center South campus, the hospital offers nationally recognized care from WashU Medicine physicians, including a neonatal intensive care unit, a pediatric intensive care unit, and inpatient pediatric care. A 133,000-square-foot Specialty Care Center is also slated to open in summer 2027, adding ambulatory surgery, imaging, laboratory services, and expanded pediatric specialty clinics including cardiology, hematology, oncology, and more.
Mercy is one of the 15 largest health systems in the United States and has been recognized as the top large health system in the country for patient experience by NRC Health. In Springfield, Mercy operates a full network of hospitals, clinics, urgent care locations, imaging centers, and pharmacies, giving residents convenient access to a wide range of care.
Mercy is also expanding its pediatric offerings in a significant way. Through a partnership with Children’s Mercy, a nationally recognized independent pediatric health system, a new 40,000-square-foot dedicated pediatric outpatient facility is under construction on the Mercy South Springfield campus, with an anticipated opening in December 2026. The facility will bring together Mercy pediatric primary care and Children’s Mercy specialists under one roof, offering families a centralized location for comprehensive pediatric services. The Springfield campus is also one of only eight St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital affiliates in the nation, and includes a 10-bedroom Ronald McDonald House where patients’ families can stay close to their children during treatment.
Jordan Valley Health serves southwest Missouri communities as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), connecting residents with quality medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health services across 10 clinic locations and a network of mobile and school-based care units. Services include family medicine, women’s health, pediatric care, behavioral health, express care, and pharmacy, all under one organization. Jordan Valley accepts Medicaid, private insurance, and self-pay, and offers a sliding scale fee option.
Springfield is home to CoxHealth and Mercy, both nationally recognized health systems, alongside Jordan Valley Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center serving the region, making it one of the most well-served mid-size cities in the Midwest for medical care.
Yes — two, in fact, which is rare for a city of 500,000. Both CoxHealth and Mercy Hospital Springfield operate Level 1 Trauma Centers, the highest designation available, meaning both are equipped to handle the most severe and complex traumatic injuries around the clock. Mercy also operates the region’s only burn center.
Springfield has physicians in every major specialty area listed by the American Medical Association, including dermatology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, gynecology, cardiology, pediatrics, and more. Both CoxHealth and Mercy maintain dedicated orthopedic hospitals and pediatric care programs.
Yes. Jordan Valley Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). It accepts Medicaid, private insurance, and self-pay patients, and offers a sliding scale fee option.
Yes, and at a level that stands out for a city this size. In March 2026, CoxHealth opened St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth, the only independently licensed, full-service pediatric hospital in southwest Missouri, offering nationally recognized care from WashU Medicine physicians. Mercy is also expanding its pediatric footprint through a partnership with Children’s Mercy, with a new 40,000-square-foot dedicated pediatric outpatient facility under construction and set to open in December 2026. Mercy’s Springfield campus is also one of only eight St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital affiliates in the nation and includes a 10-bedroom Ronald McDonald House for families of patients receiving treatment.
Health care is Springfield’s top growth industry, employing approximately 20% of the city’s total workforce. The medical community has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in new facilities, making Springfield a regional hub for health services across southwest Missouri and beyond.
Yes. Both the City of Springfield and Greene County have received World Health Organization Safe Community and International Safe Community designations for their work in injury prevention and public health protection.
