Standards of Postnatal Care

The Standards of Postnatal Care report was released in 2018 to articulate the standards of postnatal care for mothers/parents and newborns in the first seven days following birth.

Approximately 140,000 babies are born in Ontario each year. With the trend towards earlier discharges and in the context of rising healthcare costs and constraints on resources, there is concern that the quality of postnatal care during this critical transition period may be compromised. The provision of high-quality postnatal care for new mothers/parents and babies in Ontario requires a unified understanding of what the standards are and an effective coordination of care model or method that ensures quality postnatal care.

The Standards of Postnatal Care Expert Panel was established with the objectives to:

  • Articulate the standards for postnatal care
  • Review the literature and identify strategies to facilitate the implementation of the standards
  • Develop an evaluation framework to monitor the implementation of these standards
  • Identify and/or develop patient education tools to assist with the communication of the standards to families

Implementation and Evaluation

To support the implementation and evaluation of the Standards of Postnatal Care, a supplementary report was released in 2018 describing the elements that contribute to a high-quality and coordinated postnatal care system in Ontario, and a suggested evaluation framework. This report is intended to provide healthcare providers, institutions, public health units and Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) with recommendations as to how the delivery of postnatal care can be enhanced, to ensure that all mothers/parents and newborns receive the necessary care in the first week after birth.

Standards of Postnatal Care in Ontario: A Focus on Implementation and Evaluation Report

Additional Resources

In 2017, PCMCH released the Standards of Postnatal Care: Survey Report. A provincial survey was administered in order to identify innovative models or methods to coordinate postnatal care in the immediate postnatal period. The goal was to use the survey results to identify models or methods for how the Standards should be implemented in Ontario and highlight implementation facilitators and barriers.

For Patients and Families

In 2017, PCMCH released a patient/family brochure, in collaboration with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, on the topic of newborn jaundice.

Webinar: Standards of Postnatal Care

PCMCH hosted a webinar on June 11, 2018 to provide an overview of the Standards of Postnatal Care.

Speakers

  • Ethel Ying, Paediatrician/ Neonatologist, St. Michael’s Hospital; Standards of Postnatal Care Expert Panel Co-Chair
  • Shannon Mantha, Executive Director, Community Services, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit; Standards of Postnatal Care Expert Panel Co-Chair

View a recording of the webinar here