Jcaho news. (Management).(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)

An upcoming Joint Commission survey is bound to bring anxiety and angst to management and staff alike in any health care organization. In addition, there has been serious debate throughout the healthcare industry regarding the value of the survey process, especially considering its significant expense. The Joint Commission is trying to address these issues in order to provide a more meaningful survey and produce positive effects on quality of patient care and safety.

Over the past two decades the Joint Commission has made several organizational and structural changes to more effectively meet the needs of the healthcare organizations they survey. The latest changes by the Joint Commission are made in an effort to fundamentally change its approach as well as the process. The new design and improvement of the accreditation process is titled "Shared Visions -- New Pathways" and will be implemented starting in January 2004.

The Joint Commission, as part of its internal performance improvement initiative, solicited input from healthcare organizations, payors, consumers, and other interested parties on ways to enhance the accreditation process. The new …