Saint Anthony Hospital announced it has earned Perinatal Care Certification from The Joint Commission, making it the first among all Illinois hospitals. The certification program recognizes Joint Commission accredited hospitals committed to achieving integrated, coordinated and patient-centered care for mothers and their newborns. Saint Anthony Hospital underwent a rigorous onsite review in June to assess its compliance with certification standards for perinatal care. During the review, Joint Commission experts completed an independent evaluation of the hospital’s perinatal health care services, as well as the following key requirements: Integrated, coordinated patient-centered care that starts with prenatal and continues through postpartum care; early identification of high-risk pregnancies and births; management of mothers’ and newborns’ risks at a level corresponding to the program’s capabilities; available patient education and information about perinatal care services. “Our team is strongly committed to excellence in providing these services to our patients, and we are delighted to receive this acknowledgment and proud to be the first in Illinois,” said Eden Takhsh, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology, and chief quality officer for Saint Anthony Hospital. “By achieving this certification, we are focused on continued quality-improvement processes to improve care for mothers and newborns.” Established in 2015, Perinatal Care Certification is awarded for a two-year period to Joint Commission-accredited hospitals.