Welcome to the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC)! We have a wide range of resources available to help new members get started with the NICU Database and related reporting systems. Our team is available via a Help Desk ticket at cpqcchelp.org and can provide 1:1 remote training via Zoom.


Below is a quick overview of our introductory resources to help you begin data entry. All manuals, forms, and documentation for data entry and data finalization can be found on the CPQCC NICU Data Resources page.

NICU Manuals

  • Getting Started – Fundamental info for new members about CPQCC, the NICU Database, NICU Reports, and how to start submitting data.

  • Is That Baby Eligible? – Higher acuity eligibility criteria, High Risk Infant Follow-Up (HRIF), and Vermont Oxford Network (VON).

  • Higher Acuity NICU Manual of Definitions – Field definitions (e.g., birth weight, gestational age) and instructions for entering higher acuity data.

  • Electronic Data Submission (EDS) Instructions & Specifications – How to upload infant data via files (.csv/.txt) and definitions for EDS fields. EDS lets centers submit multiple NICU records at once, directly from the EMR, saving time compared with manual entry. 

CPQCC and Partners

  • Who We Are – CPQCC is a statewide network of California NICUs and HRIF programs, dedicated to improving neonatal care.

  • Members – NICUs and HRIF clinics enter data on eligible infants and access NICU and HRIF reports for benchmarking and quality improvement.

  • Vermont Oxford Network (VON) – CPQCC members automatically have access to VON, an international collaborative of neonatal care professionals.

  • HRIF Program – Provides follow-up care for high-risk infants up to age 3, with data entered into the HRIF Reporting System.

  • California Perinatal Transport System (CPeTS) – Tracks neonatal and perinatal transports for outcome analysis and regional planning.

  • California Children’s Services (CCS) – Oversees NICU standards, reporting requirements, and HRIF programs.

  • California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) & Regional Perinatal Programs of California (RPPC) – Partner organizations supporting maternal and perinatal quality improvement and regional collaborations.

What We Do

CPQCC collects data from member NICUs on eligible infants during their NICU episode of care and provides:

  • Higher Acuity NICU Database – Captures higher acuity infants; used to generate required annual CCS reports.

  • NICU Reports – Dashboards and snapshots for performance review, benchmarking, and quality improvement.

  • HRIF Reporting System – Tracks follow-up visits and clinic performance for high-risk infants.

  • All NICU Admissions Database (ANAD) – Tracks all NICU admissions and helps populate required CCS Form sections A–F.

  • CCS Supplemental Form & Reports – Summarizes NICU admissions, transports, and outcomes; used to create the annual CCS Report.

  • VON Data – VON allows NICUs to compare outcomes and performance metrics with hospitals across the U.S. and around the world. Members can securely access historical and current data through VON’s reporting tools, supporting benchmarking and quality improvement initiatives.