AAP sets national standards for levels of neonatal care | AAP News | American Academy of Pediatrics

A new AAP document defines the care hospitals provide for newborns by establishing standards for levels of neonatal care, specifying the personnel, equipment and other services needed. The standards codify the minimum components of each level of neonatal care — from special care nursery (Level II) to complex subspecialty care including surgery (Level IV).

The document, Standards for Levels of Neonatal Care: II, III, & IV, is based on AAP policy, evidence-based literature and standards of professional practice. It will be available via a link in the June issue of Pediatrics (https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-061957). It is a companion to the AAP policy statement Levels of Neonatal Care and the manual Guidelines for Perinatal Care, 8th edition.

The standards also uphold the AAP Equity Agenda by encouraging facilities to assess the health disparities of their patients, families and community, with an emphasis on family-centered care.