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The value of JCI Accreditation By Dr.Mahboob Ali Khan Phd

What is JCI Accreditation?

Each hospital and health care organization that applies for JCI accreditation

takes about two years to prepare. During this time, the entire organization works

together to develop and implement the new high quality and patient-safe

policies, practices, and procedures that are required to meet our standards.

During our on-site evaluation, a team of expert JCI physicians, nurses, and

health care administrators visits the organization and evaluates more than a

thousand measurable elements. Through interviews with staff, patients, and

leadership, along with physical inspections and reviews of records, our survey

touches every part of the organization and provides a complete evaluation of the

effectiveness of the organization's patient safety and quality system.

JCI accredits hospitals and academic medical centers. It also accredits clinics,

laboratories, ambulance services and emergency transport organizations, home

care, long term care, and primary care facilities.

Why is JCI Accreditation the World's Gold Standard?

Accreditation is a long-term process that demands commitment. There is a great

deal of preparatory work leading up to a survey and then subsequent

performance and improvement work is done to ensure those accreditation

standards are maintained. Organizations that achieve and maintain JCI

accreditation are dedicated to providing their patients the best level of care

possible.

JCI standards and evaluation methods stand alone in the world as unique tools

designed to drive positive change. Its standards and evaluation methods are:

Designed to stimulate and support sustained quality improvement

Created to reduce risk

Focused on building a culture of patient safety

Developed by health care experts from around the world—and tested in

every world region

Developed by health professionals specifically for the health care sector

Applicable to individual health care organizations and national health

care systems

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I have stressed the importance of choosing a hospital that is accredited by the

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

While the American designation is known as JCAHO, the international

equivalent is called JCI, or Joint Commission International. Why is this

designation important? The reason is simple. JCI-accredited hospitals in other

countries must meet practically the same standards as U.S. hospitals, which are

also Joint Commission accredited. I say “practically” because laws in other

countries vary and have to be taken into account when accrediting the hospitals

in those countries. Still, such differences should be very minor.

The Joint Commission is the accrediting body for most acute care hospitals in

the United States. Most states in the U.S. require that their hospitals be

accredited by JCAHO in order to meet licensure requirements and to be eligible

for Medicaid reimbursement. Simply put, without JCAHO accreditation, they

will likely go out of business. Having worked in the hospital industry for 18

years, I remember when Joint Commission came to town. Just about everything

except that which was necessary for taking care of patients was put on hold for

a few weeks in order to meet with JCAHO officials and provide them with

whatever they needed to make their assessment.

The types of standards created by the Joint Commission include those for

patient rights, patient safety, medical staff credentialing, performance

improvement, patient confidentiality, pain management, informed consent, and

a whole lot more. While the JCI designation does not guarantee quality service,

it is definitely a good indicator than you can expect high quality. It is a tough

designation to achieve. Out of the thousands of hospitals in India, for instance,

only twelve of them have it. The ones who have earned it have undergone

intense inspections, testings, and interviews. That’s why I would be very

hesitant to choose a facility without it.