Here are four facts on The Joint Commission’s standards:
1. The Joint Commission developed its standards after soliciting impact from healthcare professionals, providers, subject experts, consumers and federal organizations.
2. The Joint Commission only adds standards if they have a positive emphasis on outcomes, if they meet or surpass regulation and if they’re measurable.
3. When new standards are developed they go through eight steps:
- An issue is identified either through scientific literature or by The Joint Commission’s standing committees
- The Joint Commission drafts a standard with expert input
- The standard is distributed nationally and public comments are collected
- Revisions are made, if needed
- Revisions are made to survey process, if needed
- Surveyors are trained on how to access the standard
- The approved standards are published
- Feedback is solicited to encourage continuous improvement
4. Accredited and certified organizations receive an electronic version of the standard manual.
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