Joint Commission

Joint Commission. The Joint Commission is a non-profit, independent organization that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and behavioral health facilities, in collaboration with American Medical Association, American Hospital Association, and American College of Surgeons. The organization's mission is to continuously improve health care for the public by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care, as envisioned by Avedis Donabedian and Ernest Amory Codman. The Joint Commission works closely with other organizations, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Institutes of Health, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to promote high-quality patient care.

Introduction

The Joint Commission is governed by a board of commissioners that includes representatives from the American Medical Association, American Hospital Association, American College of Surgeons, and other organizations, such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and American College of Physicians. The organization is headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, and has a staff of over 1,000 employees, including health care professionals, surveyors, and administrators, who work together to develop and implement accreditation standards, as outlined by Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Medicine. The Joint Commission also has a number of international affiliates, including the Joint Commission International, which accredits and certifies health care organizations in over 100 countries, in partnership with World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization. The organization's work is informed by research and guidance from experts in the field, including Atul Gawande, Don Berwick, and Peter Pronovost.

History

The Joint Commission was established in 1951 as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, with the goal of promoting high-quality patient care and reducing medical errors, as advocated by Florence Nightingale and Ernest Codman. The organization's early work focused on developing standards for hospital accreditation, and it quickly became a leader in the field of health care quality improvement, working closely with American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and American Diabetes Association. Over the years, the Joint Commission has expanded its scope to include accreditation and certification of a wide range of health care organizations and programs, including nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and behavioral health facilities, in collaboration with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and National Institute of Mental Health. The organization has also developed a number of initiatives and programs aimed at improving patient safety and reducing medical errors, such as the National Patient Safety Foundation and Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Accreditation Process

The Joint Commission's accreditation process involves a thorough evaluation of a health care organization's compliance with the organization's standards, which are developed in collaboration with experts from American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Cardiology, and American Society of Anesthesiologists. The process typically includes an on-site survey, during which a team of Joint Commission surveyors evaluates the organization's policies, procedures, and practices, using guidelines from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration. The surveyors also conduct interviews with staff and patients, and review medical records and other documentation, in accordance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act. The Joint Commission also offers a number of certification programs, including certification for stroke centers, trauma centers, and perinatal care programs, in partnership with American Stroke Association and Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Standards and Initiatives

The Joint Commission's standards and initiatives are designed to promote high-quality patient care and reduce medical errors, as recommended by National Quality Forum and Leapfrog Group. The organization's standards address a wide range of topics, including patient safety, infection control, and medication management, in collaboration with Institute for Safe Medication Practices and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The Joint Commission also has a number of initiatives aimed at improving health care quality, including the National Patient Safety Goals and the Opioid Crisis initiative, which work closely with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and National Institute on Drug Abuse. The organization's work is informed by research and guidance from experts in the field, including Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and National Institute of Nursing Research.

Patient Safety

The Joint Commission has a strong focus on patient safety, and has developed a number of initiatives and programs aimed at reducing medical errors and improving patient outcomes, as advocated by Patient Safety Movement Foundation and World Health Organization. The organization's National Patient Safety Goals provide a framework for health care organizations to improve patient safety, and include goals related to medication safety, infection control, and surgical safety, in partnership with American Society of Anesthesiologists and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The Joint Commission also offers a number of resources and tools to help health care organizations improve patient safety, including the Patient Safety Advisory Group and the Sentinel Event Policy, which work closely with National Patient Safety Foundation and Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Criticisms and Controversies

Despite its important work in promoting high-quality patient care, the Joint Commission has faced criticism and controversy over the years, including concerns about the effectiveness of its accreditation process and the burden of its standards on health care organizations, as discussed by Congressional Budget Office and Government Accountability Office. Some have argued that the Joint Commission's standards are too rigid and inflexible, and that they can create unnecessary barriers to health care innovation, as noted by Brookings Institution and American Enterprise Institute. Others have raised concerns about the organization's conflict of interest, given its role as both an accreditor and a consultant to health care organizations, as reported by Wall Street Journal and New York Times. The Joint Commission has responded to these criticisms by making changes to its accreditation process and standards, and by increasing transparency and accountability, in collaboration with National Committee for Quality Assurance and Leapfrog Group.