N.J. Admin. Code § 8:33C-3.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 8:33C-3.3 - Certificate of need application requirements

(a) An acute care hospital seeking a change in membership from one MCHC to another shall submit a certificate of need application to the Department which shall document all of the following:

1. Evidence of notification to the MCHC that the applicant is leaving and the reasons for same;

2. Impact on service delivery in the MCHC that the applicant is leaving;

3. Evidence from the new MCHC that the applicant will be accepted into its region; and

4. Impact on service delivery in the MCHC in which the applicant is requesting membership.

(b) A hospital proposing to provide or expand intermediate or intensive care to pregnant women and/or their newborns shall submit a certificate of need application to the Department which shall document all of the following:

1. Number and occupancy rates of its labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum beds and/or of multi-function rooms for the preceding two years and a projection of the needs for the next four years;

2. Number and occupancy rates of its licensed bassinets for the two years immediately preceding the certificate of need application submission, and a projection of the needs for the next four years;

3. Number of maternal-fetal and neonatal referrals and transports the applicant has made to a facility designated and licensed for advanced capabilities for the preceding two years and a projection of the needs for the next four years;

4. Consistency of the application with the needs of the community, as described in the regional perinatal and pediatric plan in effect at the time of the certificate of need application submission. A waiver to the regional perinatal and pediatric plan may be considered in accordance with 8:33C-4.4(c), based on an updated analysis of individual facility or regional occupancy rates and acuity levels as documented by the applicant and the MCHC;

5. A mechanism for providing or assuring access to ambulatory prenatal, postpartum, normal newborn and pediatric care, and drug and alcohol risk reduction services which are located within the hospital service area or on site as specified in N.J.A.C. 8:43G-19. Maternity and pediatric services shall be provided in accordance with N.J.A.C. 10:54-6, HealthStart-Maternity and Pediatric Care Services;

6. Documentation of use by all providers on staff of a comprehensive perinatal record as approved by the MCHC, such as, but not limited to, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists perinatal record;

7. That the hospital and the MCHC will enter into a letter of agreement stating that the hospital shall be a member of the MCHC for no less than five years. A draft copy of the letter of agreement shall be submitted with the certificate of need application;

8. Letters of agreement specific to coordination of services, transports and referrals as follows:

i. If a region contains more than one hospital designated and licensed as a Regional Perinatal Center, cooperative letters of agreement valid for at least five years shall be developed and adopted between the Regional Perinatal Centers. The Regional Perinatal Centers shall then develop and adopt letters of agreement with the Community Perinatal Centers, accordingly. These letters of agreement valid for at least five years shall be facilitated by the MCHC and comply with the regional transport system, established in accordance with 8:33C-5.1(c);

ii. The letters of agreement shall specify that any patient requiring specialized perinatal or neonatal care shall be referred to a provider with privileges at a Community Perinatal Center-Intensive, or a Regional Perinatal Center as specified in the regional perinatal and pediatric plan, and in accordance with N.J.A.C. 8:43G-19; and

iii. Maternal-fetal and neonatal transports shall be provided by the Community Perinatal Centers only if these services are approved activities delineated in the letter of agreement with the Regional Perinatal Center and are in compliance with N.J.A.C. 8:43G-19 and the approved regional transport system for that MCHC;

9. A description of the method of management for patients assessed to be at risk during the prenatal period using a comprehensive risk assessment tool, which shall include referral to a provider with advanced capabilities in maternal-fetal medicine for initial consultation and appropriate follow-up; and

10. Compliance with 26:2H-18 et seq.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:33C-3.3