The Joint Commission (TJC), formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), is a private non-profit organization established in the United States that aims to evaluate health care institutions and organizations that seek accreditation. They certify more than 18,000 of these in the United States, including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, health care networks and clinical laboratories. This accreditation is recognized internationally as a sign of excellent quality. Its declared mission is “To continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value”.
All health care organizations, except laboratories, are up for a three-year accreditation cycle. The organization has no prior knowledge of the timing of the surveys. They occur 18 to 39 months after the previous unannounced survey. The preparation is always challenging for all healthcare providers. For one, a hospital must be up-to-date with current medical standards, policies and procedures to improve specific areas that are not in compliance. Results are not for public consumption. It only shows the decision, the date that it was awarded and areas for improvement.
Because there is so much at risk, keeping these institutions running and safe are some of its main technical concerns. The Joint Commission ensures the proper testing and deployment of computer equipment and medical machines, as well as the electrical product safety of the systems.
The Joint Commission also communicates with other similar organizations to maintain an environment worthy of accreditation. One of these is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an organization that maintains and updates minimum standards for fire prevention. In NFPA 101: Life Safety code, the NFPA gives a set of codes and standards that these health care institutions ought to have for "the construction, protection, and occupancy features necessary to minimize danger to life from fire, including smoke, fumes, or panic". One of these codes, NFPA 80, The Standard for Fire Doors and Fire Windows, was adopted by the Joint Commission in January 1, 2008.
Another collaboration of the two organizations is in the program of applying the Life Safety Code, a series of 3-day seminars that help the institutions stay in compliance to make sure that every facility is prepared for the surveys.
The Life Safety Code provides an effective evacuation plan, as well as the implementation of fire detection, suppression systems, automatic sprinkler protection, fire drills and first-aid preparations in case of fire, as well as for fire prevention. Through this, the security of the patients is ensured and this improves healthcare on a grand scale.
Even if The Joint Commission is a voluntary, non-profit organization and not a government regulating body, it still plays a very important role in health care. With more than 50 years of experience, it has been improving the safety and quality of institutions that care for us when we need it.
