Pennsylvania Hospital’s Women’s Health division has been recertified in Perinatal Care by The Joint Commission (TJC), making PAH the only hospital in Philadelphia and one of fewer than 100 institutions nationwide that has earned this honor.
The evaluation assesses the outcomes of low-risk, uncomplicated pregnancies and investigates how the team is able to adapt when normal becomes abnormal. The certification is voluntary, meaning that each hospital that pursues it is making an extra effort to review their practices, close gaps, and implement quality and safety measures to ensure mothers and babies receive the best care.
The process covers 224 standards surrounding prenatal and postpartum care, all of which must be met. To prepare, the team meticulously followed up on each of the recommendations they received two years prior, and their efforts did not go unnoticed. “It’s not about creating new workflows just because TJC are coming, but doing the work every day and always looking for opportunities to improve,” said Joanne Ruggiero, MSN, RN, MA, NE-BC, CMSRN, clinical director for Women’s & Behavioral Health Services. “Our physicians, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, and other team members all came together to ensure that we were ready. We work so well together, and this gave us a chance to showcase our commitment to exceptional care.”
The team received special commendations on their implementation of a safety program to prevent adverse events from reaching patients, and TJC was especially impressed by their use of escape rooms as a teaching tool to improve safety and communication. Their comprehensive bereavement resources and use of the health system’s Heart Safe Motherhood program also impressed the surveyors.
“For a surveyor — an external validator — to come in and say, ‘You really are meeting the gold standard of maternal care,’ is pretty amazing and really sends an important message to our colleagues, patients, and community,” Ruggiero said. “Out of all the certifications that we strive for, this is the one that forces us to look closely at our team, our communication, and the care we provide so we can make sure that we are not just meeting, but exceeding national levels.”