The Joint Commission's existing federal deemed status relationships necessitate open communications with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS's reliance on the Joint Commission's accreditation process for hospitals, home health agencies, hospices, laboratories, nursing homes, ambulatory care centers and managed care plans requires the periodic validation of the Joint Commission's survey process, the coordination of receipt and follow-up of complaints about health care organizations, and the reporting of significant changes in accreditation status of the organizations accredited under these programs.
The Joint Commission's Washington, D.C. office monitors and, when appropriate, seeks to influence federal legislative activities that relate to health care issues. At the federal level, the Joint Commission participates in activities to promote and improve the quality of health care. As the largest health care accreditation body, the Joint Commission has testified numerous times before Congress and other federal bodies on health care quality and patient safety related issues.
Contacts: For more information, contact The Joint Commission's Washington, D.C. office at (202) 783-6655.