This bill mandates the Commissioner of Health to create a shared decision-making tool for maternity care hospitals and licensed birthing centers in New Jersey, with its use being voluntary. The tool aims to enhance patient knowledge regarding maternity care, foster collaboration between patients and healthcare providers, improve patient experiences, and encourage the creation of personalized birth plans. The shared decision-making tool will include various patient decision aids such as standardized questionnaires, educational fact sheets on maternity care topics, and multimedia resources that inform patients about critical maternal conditions and treatment options.

Additionally, the bill establishes a three-year pilot program where selected maternity care hospitals and birthing centers can utilize and evaluate the shared decision-making tool. The Commissioner will determine the participating facilities, ensuring representation from different regions of the state. These facilities will employ a standardized evaluation process to assess the tool's effectiveness in improving maternal care and reducing adverse outcomes. After the pilot program concludes, participating hospitals and birthing centers must submit a report detailing the tool's effectiveness and recommendations for statewide implementation. The bill will take effect 360 days after enactment and will expire upon the final submission of the required reports.