OB CoPs and Readiness

This program is intended for all hospitals, including general acute hospitals and critical access hospitals, and those hospitals and CAHs that provide obstetrical services and anyone involved with compliance regulations and standards, including but not limited to CEOs, chief medical officers, chief nursing officers, physicians, emergency department nursing staff, obstetrical nursing staff, quality improvement staff, risk managers, compliance officers and legal counsel, The Joint Commission liaisons, safety officers and other interested staff. 

On Nov. 27, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published significant revisions to regulations governing hospitals and CAHs. While these regulatory changes are primarily aimed at increasing access to care, reducing maternal mortality and improving health equity for maternal health patients, these and numerous other regulatory changes were buried within the nearly 700 pages of the 2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rules. Changes in emergency readiness and transfers of pregnant, birthing and postpartum women will affect all hospitals and CAHs, regardless of whether the facility provides obstetrical services. Other changes will only affect those hospitals and CAHs that provide obstetrical services, including the establishment of an Obstetrical Services Condition of Participation, including regulations on organization and staffing, delivery of service, and staff training. Finally, there will be changes to the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement regulations that will require hospitals to assess and improve health outcomes among obstetric patients on an ongoing basis. These regulations will be phased in beginning July 1, 2025, with the final regulations to be effective Jan. 1, 2027. 

This virtual event will discuss the published regulations and CMS comments within the preamble and any additional known information at the time of this offering. It is not known at this time when interpretative guidelines will be published.  

At the end of the session, the participant will be able to: 

• identify the regulatory changes in emergency preparedness and transfer requirements that will affect all hospitals and CAHs 
• describe the requirements of the new Obstetrical Service CoP 
• explain the changes needed in the hospital and CAH QAPI program, if they provide obstetrical services 
• describe the phase-in period of the regulations 
• identify MHA contacts and tools that can assist with meeting the new requirements 

Nancy Ruzicka, MBA, M.J., R.Ph., B.S., CHC
Health Care Consultant
Ruzicka Healthcare Consulting LLC

Nancy Ruzicka is a recognized expert on state and federal rules, regulations, and interpretative guidelines for hospitals, critical access hospitals, rural health clinics, and other Medicare-certified entities. She previously worked as a director of integrity and compliance and privacy official at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and the director of regulatory compliance at UnityPoint Health in West Des Moines, Iowa. She also has more than 20 years of experience with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, the Medicare state survey agency in Iowa. She also was a practicing pharmacist for 35 years. Ruzicka holds master’s degrees in health law and business administration and a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, all from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She is certified in health care compliance and maintains her Iowa pharmacy license.