The Joint Commission was earlier known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). It is a US-based non-profit organization that works for the betterment of the healthcare industry. This organization is exempted from tax under the tax-exempt 501(c) regulation. The Joint Commission is based in the suburb of Oakbrook Terrace area of Chicago.
As an organization, their primary role is to accredit healthcare organizations and programs in the US. They also certify medical services across the globe via its international branch. Even many US state government agencies take into consideration the accreditation of the commission while issuing Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Their goal is to bring improvement in public health, and for that, they undertake a proper evaluation of healthcare organizations. By doing so, they aim to eliminate the loopholes and encourage stakeholders to improve their quality of care services delivered to patients.
The Joint commission keeps updating its accreditation standards, policies, and patient safety goals every year. As a result, to comply with their changing criteria, even healthcare providers also need to keep their services updated to meet the quality standards on a yearly basis. Through the stringent accreditation process, they make sure that organizations don’t compromise on giving patients the best quality care they deserve.
