Reminder: Changes to Three JCI Policies

As reported in the April/May 2010 issue of JCInsight, the Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation Committee has approved changes to three of its policies, effective immediately for all accredited organizations.

The changes are as follows:

► JCI’s Confidential Information Policy now states that JCI will note, on its Web site, that an organization’s status is either 
    accredited, or accreditation withdrawn, with the date that either status decision was issued. The status of accreditation
    withdrawn will be posted on the JCI Web site for 1 year.
► For JCI Accreditation Policy: Reporting Requirements Between Surveys, the following additions were approved regarding
    which types of changes to an accredited or certified organization’s operations or structure which must be reported to JCI
    Accreditation, as they may require a full or focused on-site accreditation or certification survey:
    • A local, regional, or national regulatory or licensing body has conducted an investigation or inspection resulting in
       recommendations for improvement or an adverse outcome that necessitates an immediate change in the organizations 
       (for example, mandated closure of all or part of the organization or a department[s], program[s], or service[s] which prohibits
       the organization from providing care to patients
    • A physician’s license, registration, or certification to practice medicine and provide care to the organization’s patients has been 
       revoked, cancelled, terminated, or limited by a legal/regulatory authority(s) or by the organization and the licensed independent
       practitioner is still providing care in the organization.

► In JCI’s Process for Responding to a Complaint about a Joint Commission International–Accredited Organization (click on
    the title to read more about this process on the JCI Web site) the policy has been modified as follows:
    • JCI Accreditation requires the accredited organization to communicate to hospital employees, visitors, and patients that when 
       complaints are not resolved to their satisfaction, individuals may choose to report their complaint to JCI Accreditation.
    • JCI Accreditation’s policies prohibit organizations from taking retaliatory action against employees who submit a complaint to JCI 
       Accreditation and prohibit JCI Accreditation from disclosing to a complainant whether a complaint is substantiated.

These updated policies are published in their entirety in Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, 4th Edition. For other inquiries, contact the JCI Accreditation department using the link below.

Contact JCI Accreditation by email with questions or to receive the complete, updated policies