Current through Register 1533, October 25, 2024
Section 130.814 - Care and Services(A) The birth center shall provide a program of care to include at least the following: (1) A personal and family history;(2) A physical examination and appropriate laboratory tests;(3) A program of prenatal care that shall include components of self-help, self-care, and fetal assessment;(4) A program of prenatal education that shall include the importance of nutrition, preparation for birth and breast feeding, and information on adverse effects of smoking, alcohol and other drugs;(5) Intrapartum and postpartum services that foster parental control and responsibility for the birth experience and infant parental bonding;(6) Labor support for the mother and her family;(7) Immediate postpartum care and newborn assessment;(8) Required eye prophylaxis;(9) Postpartum laboratory examination and program for prevention of Rh immunization;(10) Newborn metabolic screening and other such tests as may be required;(11) A postpartum examination and family planning; and(12) A plan for well woman routine gynecologic health care.(B) The birth center shall have access to diagnostic services including clinical laboratory, sonography, radiology, electronic monitoring.(C) Mothers and infants shall be discharged or transferred within 24 hours after birth.(D) Maternal and newborn examinations shall be performed by the birth center professional staff or a physician or certified nurse-midwife of the family's choice within 72 hours of birth. Such examinations shall include required laboratory tests for health screening.(E) Each birth center shall develop and implement written policies and procedures for the prompt and safe transfer of the obstetrical patient and of the newborn for emergency treatment beyond that provided in the birth center.(F) Each birth center shall have a written agreement with an obstetrician with full obstetrical privileges at a nearby or the parent hospital, and a written agreement with a pediatrician with full pediatric privileges at a nearby or the parent hospital for the care and transfer of patients for emergency treatment beyond that provided by the birth center.(G) A birth center must conduct newborn infant hearing screening in accordance with the requirements regarding screening at 105 CMR 130.616(D)(2)(l). If a birth center does not have the equipment or ability to conduct such a screening, the birth center shall refer the newborn infant to a hospital or birth center able to conduct such screening. Prior to discharge, a birth center that is not able to conduct a hearing screening shall:(1) make an appointment for a screening for each newborn infant at a screening site.(2) provide written information in the language understood by the parent or guardian to the parent or guardian about the importance of the screening, coverage of the costs of the screening by third party payers, the time of any screening appointment scheduled, and the location and phone number of the hearing screening site.(3) within two weeks of the birth of a child call to the parent or guardian of the newborn infant to verify the infant has received the hearing screening, and document the conversation about the performance of the screening.Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1343, eff. 4/7/2017.