Dear Jon and others, JCAHO is'nt the only source of rules for hospitals. State Maternity Licensing Units, often part of the state health department, set policies including physical plant within each state. The Perinatal Guidelines established jointly by AAP and ACOG are very influential policies - available from AAP, ACOG or March of Dimes. (there are some gems in that document esp. on pg. 108). State policies are set within each state - find out who sets the state rules and ask to testify about the building codes, or at least talk to the maternity hospital licensure people in your state. Good luck. This is slow-going work but very fruitful when complete. Linda Smith, becoming a detective at "who gets to make the rules" about hospitals.