What does the Joint Commission do?

• A. Provides accreditation programs for various healthcare facilities (ambulatory, behavioral health, acute care, critical care hospitals, labs, etc)
• B. Sets national clinical treatment guidelines for physicians
• C. Licenses hospitals and clinics to operate within each state
• D. Registers medical devices with federal agencies

Answer: (A)

Understanding what the Joint Commission does centers on accreditation and safety standards in healthcare. The Joint Commission is a nonprofit organization that creates standards and conducts surveys of healthcare organizations to determine if they meet those standards. When an organization demonstrates compliance, it earns accreditation, which applies to a wide range of settings—hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, behavioral health programs, critical access hospitals, laboratories, and more. Accreditation signals to patients and payers that the organization meets recognized safety and quality requirements and supports ongoing quality improvement with tools like performance measures and safety goals. The Joint Commission does not set national clinical treatment guidelines, which are produced by professional societies or federal health agencies. It also does not license hospitals (licensing is a state function) or register medical devices (that’s the FDA).