APPROVED: New Optional Perinatal Care Certification Program.

To develop this certification program, Joint Commission staff convened a perinatal care technical advisory panel of clinical experts for guidance on creating requirements for the evaluation of organizations seeking perinatal care certification. Field reviews, learning visits, and pilot surveys also helped staff learn the current state of perinatal care services, determine the concepts or processes that are key to perinatal services, and gain a greater understanding of the operational challenges in addressing prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care services. While there is a need to address and support safer, higherquality care for high-risk as well as clinically uncomplicated pregnancies and births, this certification focuses on the essential, high-value requirements that will improve perinatal outcomes for mothers and newborns who have been assessed as clinically uncomplicated. The Joint Commission is considering the future development of a program that focuses on requirements for addressing high-risk pregnancies and births. The Joint Commission will begin accepting applications as of July 1, 2015, for the Perinatal Care Certification option. The program requirements, which also are effective July 1, 2015, will appear on The Joint Commission website at http://www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/ prepublication_standards.aspx and in the spring E-dition®. Questions may be directed to Emi Datuin-Pal, RN, BSN, MSHSA, MBA, associate project director, Department of Standards and Survey Methods, at bdatuin-pal@ jointcommission.org or Michele Sacco, interim executive director, Certification, at [email protected]. P APProved: New Optional Perinatal Care Certification Program