Service-specific standards to be part of standards for Health Care Services Certification
Media Contact:
Ken Powers
Media Relations Manager
630.792.5175
kpowers@jointcommission.org
(OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – March 11, 2008) The Joint Commission has released for comment proposed standards for Palliative Care. The standards will be part of a new Health Care Services Certification Program developed by The Joint Commission to continue providing standards and improvement solutions to health care organizations. Palliative care is an approach designed to improve the quality of life of patients and their families by relieving the pain, symptoms and stress of serious illnesses such as cancer or AIDS. The Joint Commission is encouraging feedback from those who provide palliative care services.
The draft standarsd are posted on The Joint Commission’s website, and have been sent out for comment to stakeholders at health care organizations and to national palliative care experts. The deadline for feedback is April 8, 2008.
The Joint Commission’s Health Care Services Certification Program incorporates the underlying concepts of clinical microsystems, which emphasize the importance of patient-centered care and teamwork. The certification standards evaluate how well an organization integrates microsystems thinking, a patient-centered care focus, and service-specific concepts into their routine approach and delivery of services. The Joint Commission’s establishment of the standards and review process has been guided by the Health Care Services Task Force, composed of experts in implementing microsystems concepts and patient-centered care, palliative care, physical rehabilitation, clinical engineering, wound care, and other services. Health Care Services Certification program standards are also available on the Joint Commission’s website.
“The proposed standards emphasize the importance of patient-centered care and teamwork in focusing on the front line of service delivery,” says Chuck Mowll, executive vice president, Business Development, Government and External Relations, The Joint Commission. “The standards integrate the involvement of patients, families and health care staff in treating individual needs and improving care.”
The draft standards cover important aspects related to program management, providing care, managing patient information and improving performance. Palliative care services seeking Joint Commission certification will also be expected to use evidence-based national guidelines or expert consensus to guide their services.
The proposed palliative care standards are part of The Joint Commission’s Health Care Services Certification Program. Scheduled to launch in August, this new evaluation program is designed for health care services provided to patients in various health care settings. In addition to palliative care, the new certification will be available for health care programs that manage direct patient care services such as geri-psychiatric care, physical rehabilitation, subacute care, ventilator care, women’s health care and wound care.
For more information about the Health Care Services Certification program, please call (630) 792-5291, or email ServicesCertinfo@jointcommission.org.