The Joint Commission has the ability to evaluate the following programs and services under the Disease-Specific Care Certification Program:
- Services that provide clinical care directly to participants (patients and/or families). Examples of these programs include, but are not limited to, services provided in hospitals, clinics, home care companies, long-term care facilities, sub-acute care, rehabilitation centers, and physician groups.
- Programs that facilitate comprehensive clinical support and interact directly with participants (patients and/or families), on-site, telephonically or through the use of on-line services or other electronic resources. Examples of these organizations include but are not limited to: disease management companies and health plans with disease management services.
Programs seeking Disease-Specific Care Certification must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- The organization is located within the U.S., operated by the U.S. government, or operated under the charter of the U.S. Congress;
The organization must fit the description of types of programs certified; and
- The disease-specific care program(s) must be in full operation (not pilot testing) for a minimum of 4 months.
The disease-specific care program(s):
- Uses a standardized method of delivering clinical care based on clinical guidelines and/or evidence-based practice, and
- Has an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.
The Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care program and standards apply in Hospitals/Ambulatory Care/Long Term Care/Home Care/Behavioral Health Care/ Health Plans/Integrated Delivery Systems/Physician Organizations and Groups/Disease Management Service Companies and to almost any chronic condition or disease state, including, but not limited to: