Step 1 – Review the Resources and Assess your Compliance
Complete any needed changes by the time of your on-site accreditation survey.
- Ambulatory Care Accreditation Handbook. A general guide to the accreditation process, including a list of helpful resources. Also available are versions specific to Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Diagnostic Imaging Centers, and Sleep Laboratories, and Standards Samplers with examples of some of our standards.
- Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Ambulatory Care. This manual contains all the standards and elements of performance that your organization will be held to when we conduct our accreditation survey. It can be purchased, or if you will be ready for your on-site accreditation survey within 6 months, you can apply for accreditation and a free one will be sent upon receipt of your deposit.
- Frequently Asked Questions about Standards
- Applicability Grids - Not all standards apply to all settings. For a quick reference to standards applicable to common settings, view our applicability grids.
- National Patient Safety Goals. In addition to our standards, you will also need to show us that you meet these goals.
Step 2 - Apply for Accreditation
- To receive an application for accreditation, please call Darrell Anderson at (630) 792-5292 or email jfranklin@jointcommission.org. You will then be e-mailed a log-in name and password to access your electronic application.
- Fill out and submit your electronic application form when you’ll be ready for our on-site survey within 6 months.
- Send in your accreditation deposit payment or call us with your credit card. We’ll then send a free Standards Manual to you and assign an account representative to your office.
Step 3 – Schedule your on-site survey date
Work with your Account Representative to choose a survey date.
Step 4 - After your Survey
You’ll be given a copy of the surveyor’s final report immediately after your survey.
- If you have any requirements for improvement, you’ll generally be given 45 days in which to fix them. See the Ambulatory Care Accreditation Handbook for more details.
- Your accreditation award letter and certificate will be mailed after your accreditation decision is final.
- Your organization’s Quality Report will be posted on Quality Check.
- To promote your new accreditation status; visit our online Publicity Kit.