Hospital Accreditation

Abstract

With the assessment of a hospital by an external recognized body, the accreditation of hospitals is performed, which evaluates the degree of compliance of hospital with a series of previously established standards. If the compliance is adequate, a certificate of accreditation is then received by the hospital, authorized by the integrity and reputation of the accreditor. This paper seeks to identify the standard, guideline or criteria of the accrediting body (the Joint Commission) and national patient safety goals set by TJC are also reviewed to analyze the adequacy of selected standard.

Hospital Accreditation

Hospital accreditation has been identified as a self- appraisal and peer evaluation process externally employed by health care organizations to appraise their performance level accurately regarding recognized standards and put established standards into practice for a continuous improvement. Higher quality of care is offered by accredited hospitals to their patients. A competitive advantage is also provided by accreditation in the health care industry and tones up confidence of community in the safety of patients and quality of treatment, care, and services. Hospital accreditation enhances risk management and reduction and strengthens efforts for patient safety and builds an environment of patient safety.

There are numerous quality standards, nevertheless, there are not many to which hospitals are generally endorsed. The Joint Commission, until recently, has been viewed as the only program with an established identity and reputation, accrediting 91% of U.S. hospitals. More than 16,000 U.S. healthcare organizations are evaluated and accredited by the Joint Commission who carries on unannounced surveys every year at randomly selected hospitals.

I. The Joint Commission

Formerly known as JCAHO, TJC- the Joint Commission is a private healthcare accreditation body. Improvement of the hospitals and health care organizations' safety and quality of patient care is the declared mission of TJC. Hospitals are surveyed by the Joint Commission on an unannounced basis. Evaluation of compliance of hospital with nationwide recognized Joint Commission standards is the objective of this survey. Quality and safety of care issues within the organization and the environment's safety in which care is provided are dealt with the Joint Commission standards. All hospital surveys, in the USA since January 1, 2006 have been unannounced, as the programmed assessments of the past used to permit institutions to put in order for them and there was no assurance that between surveys, ample standards were being sustained. However, when it has to do with the international dimension, surveys carried ...