Also known as The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) or simply, The Joint Commission. It is an independent, non-profit organization that accredits and certifies healthcare organizations and programs in the United States. The accreditation process evaluates healthcare organizations based on quality and safety standards.
The process by which healthcare organizations voluntarily undergo evaluation to demonstrate compliance with established standards of quality and safety set by The Joint Commission. Accreditation indicates that an organization meets or exceeds minimum requirements for patient care.
These are specific goals established by The Joint Commission to address areas of concern and improve patient safety within healthcare organizations. These goals aim to prevent medical errors, ensure effective communication, and enhance patient involvement in their care.
The process of collecting and analyzing data to evaluate the effectiveness of healthcare processes and outcomes. Performance measurement is essential for assessing compliance with quality and safety standards set by The Joint Commission.
A set of standardized performance measures established by The Joint Commission to assess the quality of care provided in specific clinical areas, such as heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care. These measures help healthcare organizations track and improve their performance.
A serious adverse event, such as death or serious injury, that occurs unexpectedly in a healthcare setting. The Joint Commission requires healthcare organizations to conduct thorough investigations of sentinel events and implement measures to prevent their recurrence.
A survey methodology used by The Joint Commission to assess compliance with accreditation standards. Tracer methodology involves following the path of patient care through various departments and processes within a healthcare organization to evaluate the effectiveness of care delivery and identify areas for improvement.
Refers to the physical, environmental, and operational factors within a healthcare facility that can impact patient safety and quality of care. The Joint Commission sets standards for maintaining a safe and functional environment of care, including infection control, security, and emergency preparedness.
The systematic approach to analyzing processes, identifying areas for improvement, implementing changes, and monitoring outcomes to enhance the quality and safety of patient care. The Joint Commission requires healthcare organizations to establish and maintain performance improvement programs.
A structured method used by healthcare organizations to investigate the underlying causes of adverse events or sentinel events. The goal of RCA is to identify contributing factors and system failures that led to the event and implement corrective actions to prevent similar occurrences in the future.