Critical Path Network: Cooperative accreditation in the works for hospitals
Work is continuing on the effort to establish a cooperative accreditation agreement between the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and other accrediting bodies.
If approved by the Joint Commission board of directors, the plan could lead to modifications that would alter agreements with accrediting bodies that accredit specific departments or units typically found within JCAHO-accredited hospitals, but for which JCAHO does not provide separate standards.
Much of the plan is aimed at eliminating redundant accreditation and requirements for accredited hospitals.
The Cooperative Accreditation Initiative (CAI) would allow the Joint Commission to rely on the process and decisions of the cooperative partner, eliminating the need for duplicative evaluations of comparable standards.
The Joint Commission reports that discussions are ongoing because the evaluations conducted by some cooperative partners are not truly dupl-icative of JCAHO hospital surveys since the standards and survey process focus on technical and clinical functions within the department or unit.
The current plan for the CAI calls for certain accrediting bodies to be recognized by the Joint Commission but would not be required to achieve and maintain comparability with Joint Commission policies, standards, and accreditation processes.
Agreements with these accrediting bodies would be considered "complimentary," as opposed to comparable, the Joint Commission reports.
CAIs already exist with nine national accrediting bodies.
If approved by the Joint Commission’s Board of Commissioners, CAIs might be arranged with the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, the American College of Surgeons-Commission on Cancer, the American Association of Blood Banks, the American College of Radiology-Radiation Oncology Program, and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.