Communicate Your Achievement

Congratulations on achieving accreditation and/or certification from The Joint Commission. Joint Commission accreditation and certification means your organization complies with the highest national standards for safety and quality of care and is committed to continually improving patient care. Let your organization’s patients, residents or clients know that your organization was awarded The Gold Seal of Approval^® from The Joint Commission. Here are some suggestions:

• Use The Gold Seal of Approval to promote your organization’s Joint Commission accreditation or certification. The Gold Seal of Approval decals are available to download for your organization to display at the main entrance of its facility. Your organization can download The Gold Seal of Approval artwork from this publicity kit to incorporate into print, billboard, television and online advertising, letterhead and stationery, business cards, patient, resident or client educational materials, and your organization’s website.
• Your organization can also order “We are Accredited” or “We are Certified” products through our affiliate, Joint Commission Resources^® (JCR^®). Visit jcrinc.com or call JCR Customer Service toll-free at (877) 223-6866.
• Display your organization’s Certificate of Accreditation or Certificate of Distinction in a prominent location in your organization. To order additional certificates, contact your account executive.
• Print and distribute the brochure “We Achieved The Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission” to explain to your patients, clients and community that accreditation and/or certification signifies your organization meets rigorous performance standards in delivering quality, safe care.
• Direct patients, residents or clients to your organization’s Quality Report on Quality Check^®. Your Quality Report includes the accreditation or certification decision, a listing of accredited and certified sites and services, special quality awards, level of compliance with the National Patient Safety Goals^®, and for hospitals, National Quality Improvement Goals.
• Send a press release to the local media. See accreditation and certification sample press releases.
• Conduct a news conference. Invite local reporters to meet with your organization’s CEO, medical director, quality assurance/improvement director, and other key staff members. Discuss how staff involvement is essential to both maintaining continuous standards compliance and demonstrating that compliance during the unannounced on-site survey. Explain the focus on patient, resident, or client care through the tracer methodology and observation of care. Emphasize how the on-site survey/review is tailored to your organization’s unique characteristics, services, and patient, resident, or client populations. Stress your organization’s ongoing continuous compliance with standards 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Demonstrate ongoing efforts to comply with Joint Commission standards that can provide additional positive publicity. For example, invite the news media to cover emergency drills. This is a highly visible, graphic story and generates positive media exposure. Discuss patient tracers and the wide range of standards on which your organization was evaluated.
• Notify any state or metropolitan provider association of which your organization is a member. Many of these associations publicize accreditation information in their newsletters.
• Notify the benefit manager at insurance carriers and/or health plans whose clients use or might use your organization’s services.
• Include information on the benefits of accreditation or certification in your organization’s newsletters and in presentations to staff, board members and community groups.
• Celebrate the accreditation or certification award by sponsoring a "Quality Day" at your organization. Honor special staff, volunteers or donors and offer tours of your organization’s facility.
• For Joint Commission and AHA/ASA collaborative certifications, see these special guidelines.
• For Joint Commission and AAOS collaborative certification, see these special guidelines.