Mission: To continuously improve the safety and quality of care in the international community through the provision of education and consultation services and international accreditation and certification.
Joint Commission International (JCI) was established in 1997 as a division of Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (JCR), a private, not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission. JCI extends The Joint Commission’s mission worldwide by assisting international health care organizations, public health agencies, health ministries and others to improve the quality and safety of patient care in more than 80 countries.
In September 2007, JCI received accreditation by the International Society for Quality in Health Care. A non-profit, independent organization with members in more than 70 countries, ISQua is known as the accreditor of accrediting bodies. Accreditation by ISQua provides assurance that the standards, training and processes used by JCI to survey the performance of health care organizations meet the highest international benchmarks for accreditation entities.
Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety
In March 2005, The Joint Commission and JCR established the Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety ― http://www.jcipatientsafety.org/ ― to improve patient safety by providing resources, solutions, processes and procedures that help eliminate preventable adverse events in all health care settings worldwide.
In August 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated The Joint Commission and JCI as the world’s first and only WHO Collaborating Centre dedicated solely to patient safety. The ICPS is the operational arm for this collaboration. By working collaboratively with ministries of health, national patient safety organizations and experts, health care professional organizations, and patient/consumer groups, the Collaborating Centre focuses worldwide attention on Patient Safety Solutions, Patient Safety Practices and other initiatives that will reduce safety risks to patients.
In 2007, the WHO Collaborating Centre launched a special WHO Action on Patient Safety Initiative. Known as the High 5s Project, it seeks to improve the safety of patients around the world. Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States are participating in the project. The goal is to develop and implement standardized operating protocols (SOPs) to address five widespread patient safety problems in the participating countries and elsewhere. The SOPs will seek to:
- Promote effective management of concentrated injectable medicines.
- Assure medication accuracy at transitions in care.
- Improve communications during patient care handovers.
- Assure performance of the correct procedure at the correct body site.
- Promote improved hand hygiene to prevent health care-associated infections.
The project will also evaluate the degree to which patient vulnerabilities have been eliminated and the economic and cultural impacts of the SOPs. Implementation is targeted for late summer of 2008, with data to be gathered during a five-year period.
International accreditation and certification
JCI’s Accreditation Program was launched in 1999. The standards were developed by international experts and set uniform, achievable expectations for structures, processes and outcomes for health care organizations. The requirements for accreditation also include international patient safety goals which highlight problematic areas in health care and describe evidence and expert-based consensus solutions to these problems. The survey process is designed to accommodate specific legal, religious and cultural factors within a country. JCI offers accreditation for hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, clinical laboratories, care continuum services, and medical transport organizations; and certification in disease- or condition- specific care. In July 2008, JCI will offer accreditation for primary care.
Currently, JCI has two international partners for the purpose of offering both a national and international accreditation award at the same time. The Fundación para la Acreditación y Desarrollo Asistencial (FADA) in Spain and the Associação Brasileira de Acreditação de Sistemas E Servicos De Saude (known as CBA) in Brazil use the same standards, survey process and accreditation decision rules as JCI and the accreditation decisions are jointly decided. In addition, these international partners provide surveyors and staff who understand the national health care systems, language and culture.
JCI’s Disease- or Condition-Specific Care Certification Program was launched in 2006. This program differs from accreditation in that it is a comprehensive evaluation of disease- or condition-specific services, while accreditation is a comprehensive evaluation of the overall quality and safety of an entire organization. Certification standards apply to a variety of health care programs, including: primary stroke, maternal and well child care, chronic kidney disease, HIV/AIDS, oncology care, cardiac disease, and diabetes care.
International consulting
Since 1994, JCI Consulting has provided education and technical assistance services to health care organizations, ministries of health, accrediting bodies, and other entities outside of the United States. During the last 15 years, JCI has established a solid record of assisting health care organizations and governmental agencies in more than 80 countries. JCI provides practical solutions to help develop clinical services, improve the quality of care, enhance patient safety, reduce and manage risk, and reach international standards and other goals. JCI consultants offer the following services:
- Developing and improving operations
- Developing a national or regional quality evaluation system
- Networking and education
- Measuring performance and developing an ongoing program of quality improvement that is essential to achieving ― and maintaining― standards compliance.
Other services
JCI offers international conferences and symposiums on quality and patient safety issues, audio conferences, standards manuals and other quality improvement books. In addition, individuals can subscribe to Joint Commission International eZine, JCI’s official bi-monthly, online newsletter.
The JCI Knowledge Network offers a full range of interactive education and training programs focused on leadership, quality improvement and patient safety, as well as JCI accreditation preparation. The Network offers on-site or online courses, e-Knowledge courses, and tools such as the International Self Assessment System.
For more information
Visit http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/ or call +1 (630) 268-7400.
JCI headquarters
1515 West 22nd Street
Suite 1300W
Oakbrook, Illinois 60523, U.S.A.
+1 (630) 268-7400
European offices
13, Chemin du Levant
Immeuble JB Say
F-01210 Ferney-Voltaire, France
+33 04 50 42 60 82
Via Beatrice d'Este, 20 20100
Milano
C.F.e.P.I. 04390030965, Italy
+39 02 890 75 940
Middle East office
P.O. Box 505018
Dubai Healthcare City
Dubai, UAE
+971 43694927
JCI Asia Pacific office
37th Floor
Land Tower
50 Raffles Place
Singapore 048623
+65 68297208
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