The Joint Commission has awarded Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola a Level IV verification for Maternal Levels of Care, recognizing their ability to provide comprehensive care for mothers and infants across all needs and risk levels.
Sacred Heart Pensacola was designated with the highest tier of accreditation after undergoing two days of rigorous in-person examinations by a Joint Commission surveyor. The hospital is now one of only 10 hospitals in Florida and the sole hospital in the region with this level of accreditation.
“Securing the highest level of verification assures our community that our maternal and pediatric care teams are some of the best in the country,” said Dr. William J. Schwartz III, Medical Director Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Sacred Heart Pensacola. “It is rewarding to provide comprehensive support that enables families to stay close to home during challenging medical journeys.”
The Level IV status signifies that the hospital provides comprehensive on-site medical and surgical care for the most complex maternal conditions throughout all stages of a woman's pregnancy. These facilities serve as regional perinatal healthcare centers, offering high-quality and accessible care. They feature critical care units and ICU beds, along with patient access to maternal and fetal medicine specialists, specialized clinical teams, providers and anesthesiologists
“Earning an accreditation of this stature instills a tremendous sense of joy and confidence in all of our maternal care associates,” said Niki Dey, Director of Women's services at Sacred Heart Pensacola. “Accreditations like this foster a sense of trust in the quality of care we provide.”
In addition to this latest accreditation, the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart has the region’s only Level III NICU with a specialized Small Baby Program for micro preemies born between 22 to 28 weeks. Additionally, it holds a Baby-Friendly designation, reflecting a commitment to breastfeeding support and education
Sacred Heart Pensacola currently utilizes multiple approaches to improve healthcare insecurity for mothers and infants. The Women's Care Center team is addressing key obstacles to care such as transportation, insurance, financial resources and child care. Maternal health navigators who identify maternal patients finding difficulty in these barrier areas have a number of tools available to alleviate them including: coordinating with rideshare services to help patients get to their appointments, providing pack-n-plays for safe sleeping habits and offering iron-rich food and education bags.
The Joint Commission, which accredits more than 22,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, is widely viewed as the keynote accreditor for healthcare organizations.
Sacred Heart Pensacola has been named one of the best maternity care hospitals for 2025 by the U.S. News and World Report as part of their annual maternity care report, placing them among approximately 400 hospitals nationwide to receive this honor.
