Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (Jcaho)
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
Introduction
JCAHO is an abbreviation for Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is a non-for-profit organization that seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. It is an organization made up of individuals from the private medical sector to develop and maintain standards of quality in medical facilities in the United States. Although JCAHO has no legal enforcement power, and has no official connection to the US Government regulatory agencies, many medical facilities rely on JCAHO accreditation procedures to indicate to the public that their particular institution meets quality standards. JCAHO and its policies have taken on a real importance in the medical field, despite the lack of official government sanction. The Joint Commission is an independent, private sector in the United States that administers accreditation programs for hospitals and other healthcare-related organizations. The Commission develops performance standards that address crucial elements of operation, such as patient care, medication safety, infection control and consumer rights. Most state governments require that healthcare organizations be accredited by the Commission as a condition for licensing and Medicaid reimbursement. JCAHO evaluates and accredits approximately 18,000 health care organizations, including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), health care networks, and clinical laboratories.
History of JACHO The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a global affiliate group, oversees the Joint Commission International (JCI). Health care in the early 1900's was sadly lacking in quality and in any
Introduction
JCAHO is an abbreviation for Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is a non-for-profit organization that seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. It is an organization made up of individuals from the private medical sector to develop and maintain standards of quality in medical facilities in the United States. Although JCAHO has no legal enforcement power, and has no official connection to the US Government regulatory agencies, many medical facilities rely on JCAHO accreditation procedures to indicate to the public that their particular institution meets quality standards. JCAHO and its policies have taken on a real importance in the medical field, despite the lack of official government sanction. The Joint Commission is an independent, private sector in the United States that administers accreditation programs for hospitals and other healthcare-related organizations. The Commission develops performance standards that address crucial elements of operation, such as patient care, medication safety, infection control and consumer rights. Most state governments require that healthcare organizations be accredited by the Commission as a condition for licensing and Medicaid reimbursement. JCAHO evaluates and accredits approximately 18,000 health care organizations, including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), health care networks, and clinical laboratories.
History of JACHO The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a global affiliate group, oversees the Joint Commission International (JCI). Health care in the early 1900's was sadly lacking in quality and in any
References: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), (2009, December 29). A Journey Through the History of The Joint Commission. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/AboutUs/joint_commission_history.htm The Hospital Alliance Association (HospAA), (2010, April 5) Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization. Retrieved from http://hospaa.org/?p=347 The American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. (2005) JCAHO Update, a guide for healthcare workers and their union. Retrieved From http://archive.aft.org/pubs-reports/healthcare/JCAHO_2005.pdf The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE). (2009). Joint Commission Standards and the Survey Process. Retrieved From http://www.ashe.org/advocacy/organizations/TJC/standards.html