The Voluntary Certification Program (VCP) is a peer review/quality assurance process for the purposes of reducing morbidity and mortality and improving the care of patients.
Certification of a facility demonstrates the facility recognizes and supports Arizona’s regionalized perinatal care health care system.
Participation in the VCP provides an ongoing multi-disciplinary comprehensive external review of a hospitals perinatal/neonatal care services.
Any licensed hospital providing perinatal/neonatal care services to Arizona’s residents is eligible for certification.
The success of a collaborative regional perinatal health care system depends on the cooperation and partnership of all members of the perinatal/neonatal health care team. In support of this concept, the Recommendations & Guidelines (R&Gs) were developed by the community of perinatal/neonatal health care providers in Arizona.
The R&Gs are provided at no charge to Arizona hospitals. Please respect the copyright and share only with individuals in your facility. Contact APT office for instructions for downloading the current version of the R&Gs.
The Guidelines include these areas:
Provide care for uncomplicated obstetrical patients (excluding cesarean delivery) and basic and transitional newborn care. Requires the ability to detect, stabilize and initiate management of unanticipated problems until the patient can be transferred to a facility for the appropriate level of care.
Centers should not electively deliver infants <37 weeks’ gestation
Provide care for low- to moderate-risk obstetrical patients, including cesarean delivery and basic and transitional newborn care. Requires the ability to detect, stabilize and initiate management of unanticipated problems until the patient can be transferred to a facility for the appropriate level of care
Centers should not electively deliver infants <35 weeks’ gestation
Provide care for low-risk, uncomplicated and selected high-risk mothers and newborns. Requires the ability to detect, stabilize and initiate management of unanticipated problems until the patient can be transferred to a facility for the appropriate level of care
Centers should not electively deliver infants <32 weeks’ gestation
Provide care for low-risk, uncomplicated and selected high-risk mothers and newborns. Requires the ability to detect, stabilize and initiate management of unanticipated problems until the patient can be transferred to a facility for the appropriate level of care
Centers should not electively deliver infants <28 weeks’ gestation
Provide care for low-risk, uncomplicated to more complex maternal and neonatal medical conditions, obstetric and fetal complications. Requires the ability to detect, stabilize and initiate management of unanticipated problems until the patient can be transferred to appropriate level of care
Centers care for all gestational ages and select subspecialty and intensive care
Provide care for low-risk, uncomplicated to more critical maternal and neonatal medical conditions, obstetric and fetal complications
Centers care for all gestational ages, all subspecialty and intensive care
Centers care for all newborns requiring select subspecialty and intensive care at all gestational ages
Centers care for all newborns requiring all subspecialty and intensive care at all gestational ages
To pay your Certification and/or Membership Fees:
Still have questions? Contact APT at apt@azperintal.org or call 602-835-2525.