Michigan Maternal Levels of Care Toolkit

Michigan Maternal Health Quality Improvement Program Overview

Through the advocacy of the Whitmer administration and the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health, birthing hospitals across Michigan had the opportunity to quality for quality improvement payments intended to support maternal quality initiatives. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is providing Fiscal Year 2024 Hospital Maternal Health Quality Payments to hospital birthing units who met the following program requirements by September:

Pursing The Joint Commission MLC Verification

53 Michigan hospitals completed applications for MLC Verification through TJC, aligning with the highest benchmarks for maternal health services. This total is the largest number of hospitals that have applied for the verification from any state.

The deadline for meeting the quality payment qualification criteria has passed, but birthing hospitals interested in pursuing MLC verification through TJC can still qualify for coverage of MLC verification costs. Please see the MLC Verification Cost flyer for more details.

Below are MLC resources and ongoing support opportunities for hospitals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of participating in The Joint Commission’s MLC Verification Program?

This program provides birthing hospital leaders with an independent, external evaluation of their organization’s maternal health expertise, equipment and resources. The assessment determines the facility’s ability to care for many obstetric events, ranging from low- to moderate-risk pregnancies, as well as complex maternal medical conditions, obstetric complications and fetal conditions.

Is my birthing hospital eligible to participate in The Joint Commission’s MLC Verification Program?

Yes, all birthing hospitals in the state of Michigan are eligible, regardless of Joint Commission certification status.

What is the MHA Keystone Center’s role in this program?

The MHA Keystone Center will support birthing hospitals by providing payment for completing The Joint Commission’s MLC Verification Program. This includes covering the annual fee for three years, plus the one-time, on-site visit fee during the three-year verification period.

Is The Joint Commission’s MLC Designation patient/public facing?

Yes. The Joint Commission does include the names of all organizations that achieve MLC verification on The Joint Commission’s public website. There is a search feature that allows the public to search for verified organizations, by type of award, state and zip code. This is the same process for hospitals and all other organizations that achieve accreditation and/or certification awards.

Will the verification be linked to any other reporting entity (e.g., Leapfrog, US News and World Report)?

The Joint Commission does not link its accreditation, certification or verification sites to any rating/ranking organizations such as Leapfrog or US News and World Report. The Joint Commission is not aware of any ranking entities that use MLC verification in their methodologies.

MLC Toolkit

The MLC toolkit was designed to provide guidance and step-by-step resources to assist hospitals through TJC’s MLC application and verification process.

The MHA and the MHA Keystone Center would like to thank the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC) for sharing the resources outlined in this toolkit, which were created to guide hospitals in their state through this process. Please note that the resources and information outlined below reflect the experiences and lessons of hospitals that have completed the TJC’s MLC Verification process. These resources should be used as a guide for consideration, but members are strongly encouraged to modify any of the suggestions based on their unique organization structure and experience.

The Joint Commission Maternal Levels of Care Overview

Planning to Apply - TJC Maternal Levels of Care Planning Documents & Templates

TJC Templates

Florida Hospital Templates & Samples