Historical Timeline

Thanksgiving 1906

CoxHealth got its start when Ellen Burge, the widow of a prominent Springfield lawyer, donated her frame duplex on Jefferson Avenue to be used as a Methodist hospital. It was named Burge Deaconess Hospital in her honor. 

1907

The Burge Hospital School for Nurses was organized. 

1908

A three-story brick building was constructed adjacent to the original house. This building had one operating room and male and female wards totaling 30 beds. 

1910

One nurse made up the entire first graduating class of Burge Hospital School for Nurses.

1924

The Women's Home Missionary Society, who then owned the property, deeded the hospital in trust to a group of Springfield citizens. The hospital was renamed Burge Hospital. Financial difficulties set in until the late 40s.

1932

A 40-bed unit was constructed in addition to the 30 beds already there. This new wing of the hospital was named the John Howard Nixon Wing in honor of Dr. Nixon, in whose memory $105,000 was donated for the construction.

Late 1940s 

Springfield business man Lester E. Cox led a series of capital campaigns -- raising community money and federal matching funds for hospital expansion.

1948

Burge Hospital School of Nursing graduated eight students, then closed for economic reasons. 

1949-1966

Expansion campaigns continued and several wings were added to the hospital until Burge accommodated 500 patient beds.

Early 1950s 

Burge Hospital pioneered the first Polio Unit in the Ozarks. Later, the development of clinics to benefit the community's children was an outgrowth of the efforts to combat polio. Jan. 22, 

1951

Burge Hospital School of Nursing reopened. 

1956

A three-story school building opened, providing residence rooms, lounges, classrooms, laboratory rooms and a library for the students of the Burge Hospital School of Nursing.

1960

1968

Mr. Cox passed away and the board of directors changed the name of the hospital from Burge-Protestant Hospital to Lester E. Cox Medical Center, in honor of the man so integral to the hospital's survival and growth. Hospital expansion continued under the guidance of Mr. Cox's son, Lester L. Cox, and longtime Cox administrator Neil Wortley. 

1969

One of the first Boy Scouts of America Medical Exploring posts in the nation was established at Cox Medical Center. Today, the post has more than 300 student members ages 14-21, making it the largest post in the United States.

1970s

Cox Medical Center played a major role in an event that was destined to affect Springfield well into the next century. By purchasing land north of Highway M to be used for a nursing home, Cox pioneered what is now known as Springfield's Medical Mile. 

1971

Cox Medical Center became one of the first hospitals in the nation with a Mobile Coronary Care Unit. This specially equipped ambulance was dispatched to provide immediate care to people in coronary distress. Burge Hospital School of Nursing was granted accreditation by the National League for Nursing, and became co-ed. 

1974

A 10-story physician office building, the Medical Tower, was built across the street from what is now known as Cox Medical Center North, and the hospital began using computers. 

1975

Cox developed a regional kidney dialysis center, an intensive care nursery, and a regional radiation therapy center. 

Mid 1970s

The "Baby Buggy" was created. This mobile intensive care nursery covered a 150-mile radius, transporting sick infants to the hospital and our technologically advanced Intensive Care Nursery.

October 23, 1980

Officials announced plans to build a 220-bed women's and children's hospital at a projected cost of $35 million. Plans eventually changed, and a full-service hospital, today known as Cox Medical Center South, was constructed on the property just south of Primrose Place Nursing Home. 

1981

Cox's volunteer organization won its first Missouri Hospital Association Outstanding Auxiliary award. The first organized wellness program for employees, L.I.F.E. -- Life Improvement for the Eighties, was developed in cooperation with Burrell Community Health Center. 

December 16, 1981

Ground breaking ceremonies were held for the hospital, Cox South. 

1982

Construction began on Cox South. 

1983

The Cox Learning Center North, a preschool and daycare for Cox employees, was constructed. The facility is licensed to care for 82 children. Leaders decided that, due to population growth patterns for Springfield and the surrounding area, Cox South would be a full-service hospital rather than a dedicated women's and children's facility. 

1984

A ground-breaking ceremony was held for the Medical Arts Center, a physician office building built west of Cox South and attached via a ground level hallway. 

1985

The 10-story Cox Medical Center South was completed and dedicated to the service of humanity. 

Neil Wortley retired from Cox and assumed the title of administrator emeritus, and Charles Edwards, with 20 years of service to Cox, became executive administrator. 

1986

Cox became the first and only Children's Miracle Network hospital in southwest Missouri, and joined forces with local television station KY3 to televise the first Children's Miracle Network telethon, live from Cox South. The telethon tradition continues every spring, and now annually raises more than $1 million for local CMN efforts. 

1987

The Women's Center, Senior Advantage and the Cox Family Practice Residency programs began. The Residency continues to be southwest Missouri's only physician residency program. 

1989

A 135,000 square foot medical office building, originally known as Cox Medical Plaza (now the Wheeler Heart and Vascular Center), was built at the corner of Primrose and National Avenue. The building is connected to Cox South by the Cox Skywalk. At 446 feet, it is Springfield's longest elevated walkway. 

The first air ambulance owned by Cox, Cox Air Care, lifted off.

Late 1980s 

Cox Medical Centers worked with St. John's Health System to bring magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the Ozarks through a joint venture.

1990

Claudine B. Cox Child Care Center was built on the Cox South campus. It is licensed for 228 children. 

The 30-room Cox Plaza Hotel opened inside Cox Medical Plaza. The hotel serves patients and their families. 1991Cox held the first Medical Mile race along Springfield's "Medical Mile," South National Avenue alongside Cox South. The race raises money for the Children's Miracle Network C.A.R.E. Mobile, and continues today. 

1993

Lester E. Cox Medical Centers became Cox Health Systems. Charles Edwards retired from the position of Executive Administrator, and Larry Wallis was named CEO. 

June 1993

Cox, Oxford HealthCare and Home Parental Services merged home health services, making it the largest home health care company in southwest Missouri. 

October 1993

Cox Health Systems purchased Cox Monett Hospital (formerly St. Vincent Hospital) and the adjacent medical office building in Monett, Mo. 

December 17, 1993

Lester L. (Bud) Cox passed away and his son Lester B. (Barry) Cox was named chairman of the board of Cox Health Systems. 

1994

Cox Health Systems announced the creation of Cox Insurance Company, the first insurance company in Missouri to be owned and operated by a hospital. 

Burge School of Nursing changed its name to Lester L. Cox College of Nursing and Health Sciences in honor of Lester L. Cox and his dedication to the nursing school and the hospitals. 

Aug. 1994

Burrell Behavioral Health and Cox merged behavioral health services to provide inpatient and emergency psychiatric services, as well as residential, outpatient, crisis and prevention programs. 

1995

Cox Medical Plaza II opened south of Cox Medical Plaza, and a three story parking garage opened between the buildings. The building provided additional space for physician and administrative offices. 

1996

Cox Health Systems was selected as one of the nation's top-performing hospitals, according to the 1996 100 Top Hospitals - Benchmarks for Success study. 

Cox Health Systems and Ferrell-Duncan Clinic solidified their relationship, with Ferrell-Duncan non-physician staff becoming employees of Cox. 

The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons granted four-year approval to Cox Health Systems cancer program, distinguishing it as the only comprehensive cancer program in Springfield at the time. 

August 1996 

The C.A.R.E. (Children Are Really Excellent) Mobile, a mobile health clinic for children, was started with donations made to Children's Miracle Network. Cox partnered with Springfield/Greene County Health Department to staff the vehicle. Today, the C.A.R.E. Mobile still travels to schools and communities providing immunizations and general health screenings for children that have limited access to health services. 

1997

Cox Family Practice Residency received a full five-year accreditation after undergoing significant curriculum change, and affiliated with the University of Missouri-Columbia to offer residents a vast number of resources and a cooperative learning experience. 

June 1997

Cox Health Systems officially launched its first website, Cox Housecall, at www.coxnet.org. 

September 1997

Cox Health Systems cancer program was named the John K. and Ruth L. Hulston Cancer Center in honor of the man whose leadership on the board of directors had been an integral part of the health system's success. The name change also applied to Cox Medical Plaza II, where cancer services are located. 

1998

Cox Health Systems is again named a Top 100 Hospital in the United States by HCIA and William M. Mercer Consulting in their Benchmarks for Success study. 

July 1998 

Cox Health Systems announced the aquisition of Columbia/HCA facilities in Springfield. The Columbia South facility became part of the Cox South campus and was named Cox Walnut Lawn. Columbia North outpatient center became the North National Outpatient Center. Virtually all employees became employees of Cox, and physicians were offered the option of joining our PHO and applying for hospital privileges if they were not already on staff. 

November 1998 

The North National Outpatient Center was sold to a group of physicians, who re-opened the facility as a 45-bed hospital after extensive renovations. 

1999

Cox Health Systems was named to the America's Top 100 Integrated Health Systems list published by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, and was named one of the Fastest Fifty of America's fastest growing health care providers in Modern Healthcare magazine.

February 2000 

Lester L. Cox College of Nursing and Health Sciences became accredited, placing the college in same category as local universities Missouri State University and Drury University. 

March 2000 

Primrose Place celebrated its 20th anniversary. 

October 2000 

Cox announces plans for the Cox Heart Center, to be housed in Cox Medical Plaza I. Today, the center is known as the Wheeler Heart and Vascular Center. 

December 2000 

Cox Monett Auxiliary is named Auxiliary of the Year by the Missouri Hospital Association. 

July 2001 

Cox Monett opens the $5.3 million Special Delivery Unit. The addition returns obstetrics services to the Monett area for the first time since 1987. 

September 2001 

Cox Air Care is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transportation. 

November 2001 

The CoxHealth Auxiliary is named Auxiliary of the Year by the Missouri Hospital Association. 

May 2002 

Plans for southwest Missouri's first medically-based wellness and rehab center, The Meyer Center, are unveiled. The facility is named after Kenneth and the late Jane Meyer. Mr. Meyer was a long-time member of the CoxHealth board and is a frequent benefactor to the health system. 

July 2002

The Board of Directors voted to change the name of Cox Health Systems to CoxHealth. This subtle change was designed to put the focus on the health of our customers and not the system that delivers the care. 

May 2003 

Cox announces a $2 million gift to transform Cox Medical Plaza I to the Clarence R. and Edna M. Wheeler Heart and Vascular Center. 

August 2003 

CoxHealth Urology is named a Top 50 urology practice by US News and World Reports. 

September 2003 

The Meyer Center opens. The facility includes outpatient rehabilitation facilities and a fitness center. 

January 2004 

Cox Family Practice Residency program changed its name to Cox Family Medicine Residency, in accordance with new guidelines issued by the American Academy of Family Physicians. 

July 2004

After 39 years with the organization, Larry Wallis retires as president and CEO. The Martin Center for Diagnostic and Imaging Services opens. The center offers a full range of outpatient diagnositc and imaging procedures. 

August 2004 

Robert H. Bezanson becomes president and CEO of CoxHealth. 

September 2004 

Children's Miracle Network adds a second C.A.R.E. Mobile. 

November 2004

CoxHealth Auxiliary is again named Auxiliary of the Year by the Missouri Hospital Association. 

February 2005

CoxHealth collaborates with Ozarks Public Television and St. John's to launch "HealthStyles," a 30-minute magazine-style program focusing on everyday health issues. 

June 2005 

CoxHealth is the recipient of the Medal of Honor Award from the Department of Health and Human Services for achieving organ donation consent rates at or above 75 percent. Cox was one of only 184 hospitals nationwide to receive the Medal of Honor. 

January 2006

CoxHealth turns 100, and celebrates a century of caring for the Ozarks with current and former employees, medical staff, volunteers and board members. The Centennial Spectacular celebration included a time capsule dedication, a special awards presentation, an historic video, food, pictures and games. 

February 2006 

CoxHealth is named a Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Network by Verispan, the nation's premier IHN rating system. The listing is based on critical success factors such as a network's ability to operate as a unified organization in eight categories. 

April 2006

The Medical Arts building is renamed the Turner Center, thanks to a major gift from the Turner family. The Turner Center becomes CoxHealth's newest single-point-of-service facility offering women's and children's services including a kid-friendly pediatric urgent care, pediatric specialists, The Women's Center, The Osteoporosis Clinic and OB/GYN offices. 

September 1, 2006 

CoxHealth becomes tobacco free at all health care locations, complying with The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services regulation. 

September 2006 

The Pediatric Urgent Care Center opens at The Turner Center. This facility is Springfield's first urgent care clinic dedicated exclusively to children aged 0-16 years. 

October 2006 

CoxHealth becomes the first provider in the region to offer breast MRI. The region's first Memory Clinic opens at CoxHealth. Staffed by doctors from the Cox Senior Health Center and Ferrell-Duncan Neurology, the Cox Memory Clinic provides diagnosis, treatment, education, a support group, and social worker consultation, as well as resource information. 

February 2007 

CoxHealth is named a Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Network for 2007. 

June 2007 

CoxHealth celebrates the formal grand opening of the Wheeler Heart and Vascular Center, named for the Wheeler family. The center specializes in the treatment of a wide range of heart conditions including coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, vascular disease and valvular disease. The facility includes nuclear cardiology, echo/ultrasound, cardiac support/congestive heart failure clinic, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, a vein clinic and a 20-bed outpatient support center. 

Cox Air Care dedicates a new $5.1 million MD 902 Explorer helicopter built by MD Helicopters. The new helicopter replaces the smaller Messerschmitt BO 105 LS air ambulance that Cox Air Care put into service in January 1989. 

September 2007

The first Tour of Missouri Cycling Race comes to Springfield. CoxHealth hosts a Community Block Party at its Cox North campus with games and other activities for Cox North staff and neighbors as the racers pass by. 

CoxHealth's Information Technology department receives the 2007 GE Innovator Award for its creative and effective use of a specialized Web-based software product in the development of CoxHealth's online "Patient Express" service portal. CoxHealth was one of only four national recipients of the 2007 GE Innovator Award, and the only health care system in this class of honorees. 

Cox College of Nursing and Health Sciences celebrates its 100th Anniversary. 

December 2007 

CoxHealth is the first hospital in the country to implement new cutting-edge ventilator technology known as NAVA. This upgraded mode of ventilation employs sensors that monitor electrical impulses from the brain to adjust ventilator pressures to accommodate the patient's needs literally on a breath-by-breath basis. 

February 2008

CoxHealth is named a Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Network by Verispan for the third year in a row. April 2008Cox Family Medicine Residency celebrated its 20th anniversary. 

June 2008 

CoxHealth held its first Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Reunion. More than 100 families attended the event, which brought together former patients, their families, and the nurses and physicians that cared for them. 

Lester L. Cox College of Nursing and Health Sciences won initial approval to offer a medical assisting program, the college's first program offering outside of nursing. 

July 2008

CoxHealth experts were instrumental in the development of a Missouri law that prioritizes care for stroke and heart attack patients. The law requires EMS to transport patients directly to designated stroke centers, bypassing what may be the nearest hospital. 

CoxHealth was named the 2008 Most Wired Innovator by Hospitals and Health Networks magazine. The award recognized the Information Technology department's creation of the "bed board," a technology that provides nursing units and bed management staff with at-a-glance complete bed occupancy information. 

August 2008 

CoxHealth won approval from the Health Facilities Review Committee to install a da Vinci-S Robotic Surgical System. This purchase allowed CoxHealth physicians to perform southwest Missouri's first robotic surgery procedure in September 2008. 

October 2008

The Board of Trustees of Lester L. Cox College of Nursing and Health Sciences voted to officially change the name of the school to Cox College. 

November 2008 

Plans for the Meyer Orthopedic Center were announced. The Center will turn the existing Cox Walnut Lawn facility into an orthopedic specialty hospital, including patient rooms, a rehabilitation unit, dedicated orthopedic operating rooms and more. 

January 2009 

CoxHealth was named a Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Network for the fourth year in a row. 

February 2009 

Cox Air Care became one of the first flight crews in Missouri to use night vision goggles on nighttime flights. The goggles help pilots and crew members visualize changes in terrain, tress and obstacles near landing sites. 

March 2009 

CoxHealth announced a partnership with Walmart stores to bring in-store convenient care clinics to southwest Missouri. "The Clinic at Walmart" operated by CoxHealth offers fast, affordable access to basic health care services with extended hours and up-front pricing. The clinics are Walmart's first in-store clinics in Missouri, and the first Joint Commission accredited in-store clinics in the nation. 

May 2009

CoxHealth broke ground for a new 78,000 square-foot Emergency Department, scheduled to be completed in August of 2010. The new ED will have nearly three times the number of beds as the existing facility. The $52.5 million project includes a number of "green" building initiatives designed to help the environment. 

Cox Air Care celebrated 20 years of flight. 

July 2009

CoxHealth sold the operations of Primrose Place Nursing Home to Regional Care of Missouri. 

Regional Care will construct a new facility and move the operations to that location within 18-24 months. 

Cox College announces plans to offer a Master of Science in nursing degree.

January 2010 

The seven medical imaging specialty programs previously offered by the CoxHealth Schools of Diagnostic Imaging transitioned to Cox College, and the college received approval to launch a new Associate of Science in Radiography degree program. 

March 2010

The CoxHealth Family Medical Care Center achieved recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a level three Physician Practice Connections-Patient Centered Medical Home (PCC-PCMH), the first of its kind in southwest Missouri. 

CoxHealth launched eVisits, the area's first electronic physician visit option. The service is a part of CoxHealth's Patient Express service, a secure online portal that allows patients to schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, view lab results and more. 

May 2010

Meyer Orthopedic Center opened on the Cox Walnut Lawn campus, providing a single location for orthopedic patients to visit their doctors, undergo surgery, receive inpatient rehabilitation and physical therapy, and have access to a medical fitness center. 

CoxHealth, in partnership with St. John's and Ozarks Technical Community College, announced a scholarship program for dependents of health system employees who pursue an allied health career degree at the college. Development of this scholarship represented a $250,000 commitment by each health system to the area's future health care workforce. 

September 2010 

The new Cox South Emergency Department opened in the Lipscomb Family Wing of the hospital. The facility featured the most up-to-date CT and MRI technology, an on-site lab, state-of-the-art disaster management facilities and 62 patient beds. 

December 2010 

CoxHealth and Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute (SNSI) announced an exclusive partnership arrangement. Under the agreement, CoxHealth purchased the clinic and assets of SNSI, and the 80 people employed by the clinic became employees of CoxHealth. The physicians continued to provide services to the clinic and the hospital. 

January 2011

Children's Miracle Network became Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in a corporate rebranding effort designed to better represent the charity's mission of raising funds for children's hospitals. 

February 2011 

The CoxHealth Stroke Center was named to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Target: Stroke Honor Roll list. CoxHealth was the only health system in the region, and one of only 71 in the nation, to receive this honor. 

April 2011 

Genice "Genny" Maroc was named as the new vice president and administrator of Cox Monett Hospital. 

June 2011 

The fifth location of The Clinic at Walmart operated by CoxHealth opened in Springfield. This was the third clinic in Springfield, and the first on the city's north side. 

August 2011 

President and CEO Robert H. Bezanson announced his retirement, to be effective Dec. 31, 2011. Bezanson served as president and CEO of the organization beginning in 2004. 

September 2011 

Steven D. Edwards was named president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2012. Edwards first joined CoxHealth in 1992, and served as the organization's executive vice president and COO since 2007. 

The CoxHealth Stroke Center became one of only 91 health systems in the nation to receive the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award, recognizing a commitment to and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care. 

October 2011 

A new 27-bed critical care unit opened at Cox South. The unit was built to include the newest technology in critical care, and brought the total number of critical care beds to 76. The CoxHealth Breast Care Clinic was granted a three year/full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), at the time becoming the only designated Breast Care Center of Excellence in southwest Missouri. The Breast Care Clinic also installed the area's first Aurora 1.5T dedicated breast MRI system. 

January 2012 

CoxHealth was named by Becker's Hospital Review as one of the nation's 101 Hospitals with Great Spine and Neuorsurgery Programs. 

The organization was named to the IMS Health Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks listing for the seventh year in a row, and was one of only three Missouri hospitals to make the list. 

February 2012 

CoxHealth received a $45,000 grant from the Kohl's Cares Foundation to expand the CARDIAC Kids program. The program teaches children and their families about living a heart-healthy life in a fun, kid-friendly way. 

CoxHealth was listed among the nation's Best Regional Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. 

March 2012 

CoxHealth was the only hospital in the Ozarks named to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Target: Stroke Honor Roll. 

The CoxHealth Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care Center earned a three-year Hyperbaric Facility Reaccreditation with Distinction from the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. It was the first facility in the area, and was among the first in the state, to earn this accreditation. CoxHealth and the Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute entered into an arrangement with the University of Missouri, allowing the organizations to host neurosurgical residents from the University of Missouri School of Medicine for surgical rotations. 

April 2012 

CoxHealth and Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston, Mo., agreed to a formal affiliation allowing the organizations to collaborate clinically, and to partner in bringing new and improved services to the Texas county region. 

May 2012 

The organization was honored with the Get With the Guidelines – Heart Failure Silver Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. 

July 2012 

U.S. News & World Report named CoxHealth as the only Springfield hospital on its annual Best Hospitals list. The Springfield Business Journal honored the health system with its annual Economic Impact Award, presented to companies that have positively affected the local economy. 

August 2012

CoxHealth was recognized as one of the nation's Most Improved Most Wired hospitals, by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. 

October 2012 

CoxHealth again earned the Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. 

CoxHealth and Cerner formed a strategic alignment, Si3 – The Star Initiative for Information Innovation. The move positioned the health system for growth and advancement, and brought members of the CoxHealth Information Technology department to Cerner with the goal of providing enhanced health care IT delivery. 

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services awarded CoxHealth Level 1 Trauma Center status, the highest rank available. 

CoxHealth became a founding member of the BJC Collaborative, a partnership between CoxHealth, BJC HealthCare, Memorial Health System and Saint Luke's Health System. The collaborative brings the organizations together to achieve savings, improve quality, lower health care costs and more. Joining with Mercy and the University of Missouri School of Medicine, CoxHealth announced plans to pursue the development of a clinical campus in Springfield, with the goal of expanding MU's capacity for educating physicians, and addressing the physician shortage in southwest Missouri. 

January 2013 

Finalizing an agreement that was a year in the making, CoxHealth and Skaggs Regional Medical Center (now Cox Medical Center Branson), announced a strategic partnership and a more than $100 million investment in the health and wellness of Tri-Lake's residents. 

CoxHealth became the first hospital in the region to feed premature babies with donor breast milk, supplied by a milk bank in Kansas City. The effort helped launch the Springfield area's first donor milk depot, allowing local breastfeeding mothers to donate their milk and help nourish babies in need. 

February 2013 

CareChex, a medical quality rating group, recognized CoxHealth in Springfield as the top hospital in the nation for spinal fusion, and as second in the nation for spinal surgery. The health system was also recognized as the top hospital in Missouri in a number of categories, including major orthopedic surgery, trauma care, neurological care, major bowel procedures, gall bladder removal and general surgery. 

April 2013

CoxHealth announced plans to construct a 310,000-square-foot addition to Cox Medical Center South. This patient tower will house the Jared Neuroscience Center, the Dee Ann White Women's and Children's Hospital, and will include room for expansion. The planned addition will also allow the health system to convert all patient rooms at Cox South to private rooms. 

Advancing cardiac care in the Ozarks, CoxHealth opened Springfield's first true hybrid operating room – a specially constructed OR with all the traditional operating room capabilities, plus the advanced imaging equipment found in a cardiac catheterization lab. 

May 2013 

The Skilled Nursing and Transitional Care Units at the CoxHealth Meyer Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital were named a best nursing home in Missouri by U.S. News & World Report magazine. 

June 2013 

CoxHealth opened the area's first Obstetrical Emergency Department. The unit is staffed 24/7 and offers a dedicate space where board certified, emergent-care experienced OB/GYNs care for expectant women who are experiencing a pregnancy-related emergency. 

July 2013 

For the second year in a row, CoxHealth was named a Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report magazine. The health system was recognized as a high-performing hospital in the specialties of gastroenterology and GI surgery, gynecology, nephrology, and pulmonology. CoxHealth was again recognized as a Most Wired: Most Improved health system in the 2013 Most Wired Survey, released by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. The health system earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for its knee and hip replacement programs. 

August 2013 

Leading consumer magazine Consumer Reports rated CoxHealth as the top hospital in Springfield for overall surgical safety. 

September 2013 

Dr. Lance Ratcliff was named president of Cox College, following the retirement of Dr. Anne Brett. 

Taking a stand against deadly and addictive tobacco products, CoxHealth announced it would become the first health system in the Ozarks to stop hiring tobacco users. Applicants who do not pass the post-offer, pre-employment nicotine screening are offered free tobacco cessation classes, and are encouraged to reapply for employment once they have been tobacco-free for 90 days. 

October 2013 

CoxHealth was again recognized by CareChex as the top hospital in the nation for spinal fusion, and as second in the nation for spinal surgery. The health system was also recognized as the top hospital in Missouri in a number of categories. 

November 2013 

Thanks to a $41,000 grant from Kohl͛s Cares, CoxHealth expanded the CARDIAC Kids program to Nixa Public Schools. 

April 2014

For the second year in a row, CoxHealth was recognized as a high performing hospital by Consumer Reports magazine. 

June 2014

Cox Medical Center Branson was named an Employer of Choice by Employer of Choice ® International, Inc., following a rigorous evaluation process. 

July 2014

The organization was again recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Hospital, and received special recognition for the specialties of Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Neurology & Neurosurgery and Pulmonology. 

Hospitals and Health Networks magazine recognized CoxHealth as a Most Wired hospital. The CoxHealth radiation center at Hulston Cancer Center was recognized with an Excellence through Insight award for Overall Outpatient Satisfaction by Health Stream.

September 2014

Cox Medical Center Branson unveiled the first phase of its $30 million emergency department and critical care unit expansion, a 60,000-square-foot renovation and construction project. 

October 2014 

Becker's Hospital Review named CoxHealth to its list of 100 Hospitals with Great Neurosurgery and Spine Programs. 

November 2014

The CoxHealth Auxiliary in Springfield was honored as an Auxiliary of the Year by the Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries. 

CoxHealth was recognized as among the top 100 in the nation, top 10 percent in the state and number one in the local market for Medical Excellence in Overall Medical Care by CareChex. 

Kohl's Department Stores donated more than $50,000 to CoxHealth for its Kohl's CARDIAC (Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Area Children) Kids program. The program tackles the issue of childhood obesity through health screenings and education.

January 2015

In anticipation of the opening of the Dee Ann White Women's and Children's Hospital at Cox Medical Center South, the organization announced the additions of pediatric general surgery and pediatric urology to its list of pediatric specialty programs. 

March 2015

Cox Medical Center Branson opened its new Clinical Decision Unit, part of the hospital's $30 million expansion project. 

June 2015

In the continued tradition of achieving the highest standards of quality care, CoxHealth embraced accreditation vendor DNV GL-Healthcare. Its five hospitals, as well as its outpatient centers and provider-based clinics all received national accreditation by DNV, becoming the only hospitals in southwest Missouri accredited by DNV GL-Healthcare. 

Following nearly two years of construction, CoxHealth opened the Dee Ann White Women's and Children's Hospital and Jared Neuroscience Center, a 10-story addition to Cox Medical Center South. the new facility contains CoxHealth's Pediatric, Pediatric Intensive Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, Women and Newborns and Neurology units, plus a rehabilitation gym and neurology and neurosurgery clinic space. The facility offers all private rooms, comfortable lounges and gardens for families, and more. 

July 2015

Cox Medical Center South was recognized as one of the best hospitals for 2015-16 in Missouri by U.S. News & World Report.