Joint Commission

Joint Commission

The Joint Commission (TJC), formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and previous to that the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH), is a United States-based nonprofit organization that accredits more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. A majority of state governments have come to recognize Joint Commission accreditation as a condition of licensure and the receipt of Medicaid reimbursement. Surveys (inspections) typically follow a triennial cycle, with findings made available to the public in an accreditation quality report on the Quality Check Web site.

The declared mission of the organization is 'To continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value."

The Joint Commission was renamed Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals in 1951, but it was not until 1965 that accreditation had any official impact. In 1965 the federal government decided that a hospital that met Joint Commission accreditation met the Medicare Conditions of Participation. Recently, Section 125 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) removed The Joint Commission's statutorily-guaranteed accreditation authority for hospitals, effective July 15, 2010. At that time, The Joint Commission’s hospital accreditation program will be subject to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements for organizations seeking accrediting authority. To avoid a lapse in accrediting authority, The Joint Commission must submit an application for hospital accrediting authority consistent with these requirements and within a time frame that will enable CMS to review and evaluate their submission. CMS will make the decision to grant deeming authority and determine the term.

In 2008, the Joint Commission collected $165 million in revenue, mainly from the fees it charges U.S. health care organizations for evaluating their compliance with federal regulations. Its expenses during this period were $162 million. Its total return on investments in 2008 was -$27 million (a loss), and the total value of its investments was $83 million. In 2007, its collected revenue was $149 million. Its expenses were $148 million. Its total return on investments was $5 million, and the total value of its investments was $107 million. The Joint Commission's primary investments in 2007 and 2008 were in stocks (about 50% of investments) and trusts (about 40% of investments).

The Joint Commission is based in the Chicago suburb of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.