Photo courtesy of Allina Health
The Twin Cities is a premier destination for health care across a wide range of specialties. Minneapolis’ Abbott Northwestern Hospital is the largest nonprofit hospital in the Twin Cities and was ranked as Minnesota’s second-best hospital by U.S. News & World Report this year. Abbott Northwestern serves more than 200,000 patients and their families from across the Twin Cities and upper Midwest. Newsweek even rated the hospital as high performing in neurology, neurosurgery, cardiology, cardiac surgery, gastroenterology, oncology, orthopedics, pediatrics, and pulmonology last year. Also in Minneapolis is M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, which is high performing in oncology, gastroenterology, geriatrics, neurology, neurosurgery, pulmonology, and urology.
Last year, the American Heart Association recognized Regions Hospital in St. Paul with the Stroke Gold Plus achievement award, and Practice Greenhealth presented the hospital the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award, an honor recognizing merit and dedication to sustainability in health care. Other acclaimed hospitals in the Twin Cities include Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, and United Hospital in St. Paul.
When it comes to maternity care, expectant parents can be confident that local hospitals will meet their needs. This year, U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy)” list recognized Mercy Hospital, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital, and United Hospital. Parents can also take advantage of the stellar pediatric care at Mayo Clinic Children’s in Rochester; M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis; and Children’s Minnesota, which has its main hospital in St. Paul, plus other locations throughout the metro.
Clinics That Care
Beyond hospitals, the Twin Cities region is home to several large and well-respected health care systems with extensive clinic networks, making routine and specialized care highly accessible for residents. HealthPartners, the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the country, operates dozens of clinics across the metro, offering everything from primary care and dental services to dermatology, physical therapy, and mental health support.
Allina Health is another leading provider, with more than 60 primary care clinics throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Known for its patient-centered approach and integrated care model, Allina offers specialty care services for cancer, heart, neurology, and more.
M Health Fairview—a partnership between Fairview Health Services, University of Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Physicians—brings cutting-edge innovation to
community-based care. The system operates more than 50 clinics throughout the state, ensuring patients can access health services informed by the latest medical research and technological advancements across over 100 specialties.
Mayo Clinic’s Ongoing Progress in Renovations
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock/Wolterke
Located just 90 minutes south of the Twin Cities is the world-renowned Mayo Clinic: a nonprofit, physician-led health system consistently ranked the best in the world. The medical center is amid a $5 billion redesign of its Rochester campus—the updated layout will implement “health care neighborhoods,” where patients can access continuous care without having to travel between buildings for multiple appointments. The current plans will add five new buildings (totaling 2.4 million square feet) in downtown Rochester, with the first facilities projected to open in 2028 and a goal of completion of the entire project in 2030.
Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota
Deep in ‘Medical Alley’
Minnesota is known as “Medical Alley,” the No. 1 health tech cluster in the world. Medical Alley was recognized by the Smithsonian Institution as one of six “Places of Invention” in the U.S. With a Big 10 research university, the No. 1 ranked hospital in the world (Mayo Clinic), the largest health care provider in the country (UnitedHealthcare), and multiple medical technology companies, Minnesota is at the forefront of medical history.
Medical Milestones
- 1851 The University of Minnesota is chartered, with the Department of Medicine being among the first five academic departments
- 1864 William Worrall Mayo, M.D., founds a medical practice in Rochester that later becomes the Mayo Clinic
- 1913 The University of Minnesota Medical School is founded
- 1949 Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company, is founded in Minneapolis
- 1952 The first successful open-heart surgery is performed at the University of Minnesota
- 1955 The portable bubble oxygenator, a precursor to modern heart-lung machines, is invented at the University of Minnesota
- 1958 Medtronic and the University of Minnesota develop the first wearable, battery-operated cardiac pacemaker
- 1963 The first kidney transplant in the Midwest occurs at what is today the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute in Minneapolis
- 1966 The world’s first pancreas transplant is performed at the University of Minnesota
- 1977 A University of Minnesota cardiac surgeon is the first to implant a St. Jude aortic valve
