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Accreditation & Certification
Accreditation and certification require an on-site evaluation by the Joint Commission. The evaluation assesses compliance with our standards and verifies improvement activities. After earning accreditation or certification, health care organizations receive The Gold Seal of Approval® from The Joint Commission.
What is Accreditation
Joint Commission accreditation can be earned by many types of health care organizations, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, office-based surgery centers, behavioral health treatment facilities, and providers of home care services.
What is Certification
Programs and services within your health care organization or community can seek certification from The Joint Commission. Details and eligibility requirements for each of our certification programs are listed below. We also offer resources to help you meet patient care and safety goals, and determine if you meet the required certification standards.
Certification Programs
- A Suite of Advanced Cardiac Certifications
- A Suite of Advanced Stroke Certifications
- Advanced Certification for Palliative Care
- Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement
- Behavioral Health Home Certification
- Community-based Palliative Care Certification
- Disease-Specific Care Certification
- Health Care Staffing Services Certification
- Integrated Care Certification
- Patient Blood Management Certification
- Perinatal Care Certification
- Primary Care Medical Home Certification (for ambulatory care, hospitals, and critical access hospitals)
Scoring and Decisions
The scoring and decision process is based on the criticality of the standards and other requirements regarding their relationship to the quality and safety of patient care. The Joint Commission strives to ensure that standards compliance scoring and the accreditation decisions are:
- Reflective of an organization’s performance with respect to Joint Commission standards and elements of performance (EPs).
- Transparent – all components of the process are fully disclosed to accredited and certified organizations.
- Easily understood by all involved parties.
- Based on the premise that some standards are “critical,” or more directly impact the patient than others.