Approved: New Effective Date of Standards Policy

The Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation Committee has approved a new policy on compliance of accredited organizations with new or revised standards. Starting immediately the following policy is in place:

► The standards for new international accreditation programs are effective on publication.
► Revised accreditation program standards (new editions) are effective six (6) months from the date of publication.

For example, when JCI’s Accreditation Standards for Primary Care Centers published on 1 July 2008, those standards were in effect the same date; an organization undergoing an on-site accreditation survey anytime after that date would need to be in full compliance immediately.

However, when JCI publishes second editions of its ambulatory care and clinical laboratory standards on 1 October 2009, accredited organizations will be expected to be in compliance with the new requirements by 1 April 2010, or six months after publication. Likewise, when JCI publishes Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, Fourth Edition on 1 July 2010, the effective date for those standards will be 1 January 2011.

Going forward, the effective dates for standards compliance will be listed on the cover of each new manual

Contact JCI Accreditation by email with questions about this new Policy