Here are five quick facts about Joint Commission accreditation and certification:
1. There are more than 20,500 healthcare organizations and programs accredited or certified by The Joint Commission in the United States.
2. The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 as an independent, not-for-profit organization. It's the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare.
3. There is a 32-member board including physicians, administrators, nurses, employers, quality experts, a consumer advocate and educators.
4. The accrediting agency employs around 1,000 people as surveyors at the central office in Illinois or at the Washington D.C., location.
5. The Joint Commission has accreditation services for hospitals, home care, nursing care centers, behavioral health centers, ambulatory care and laboratories.