New Standards Interpretation Portal Established 1 April 2009

As of 1 April 2009, Joint Commission International (JCI) has established a Standards Interpretation Portal on its Web site ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ) to field questions regarding accreditation standards from JCI–accredited organizations and those preparing for accreditation.

To date, the interpretation process has not been automated, so the aggregation, analysis, and use of the data has been a cumbersome process. Also, due to numerous available avenues for directing standards inquiries to JCI—via the JCI accreditation program, through JCI consulting, through the Web site of United States–based  Joint Commission—such questions are frequently not answered on a timely basis
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“Standards interpretation requests provide one source of valuable information that contributes to future standards revisions, and very frequently, to clarifications of the standards,” says Paul vanOstenberg, senior executive director, Standards, Performance Measures, and New Products for JCI. “Questions arise frequently from JCI accredited organizations, from those learning the standards for the first time and preparing for JCI accreditation, as well as from JCI surveyors and consultants who encounter new and unique ways organizations are working to comply with JCI standards. What all these sources look for is an ‘interpretation’ of the standard; what the standard means within the context of what an organization is doing or planning on doing to meet the Measurable Elements of the standard.”

The new standards interpretation process will operate as follows:
• Go to JCI’s Web site and click on the icon labeled Ask a Standards Question. This icon is located (see below)
• Provide the information requested and ask your standards question. 
• Those organizations submitting an interpretation request through the new web portal should expect a response within 48 
   hours.
• Interpretation responses that represent new and important information will be provided to all JCI surveyors and consultants
   and posted on the JCI website.
• JCI’s new Associate Director for Standards Development and Interpretation (see the story elsewhere in this issue by
   clicking here) will assume the primary responsibility for keeping the process consistent and timely.