The Unannounced Survey Process Fact Sheet
- The Joint Commission conducts unannounced surveys unless it is not feasible or logical to do so.
- All hospitals and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) deeming or recognition surveys are unannounced.
The following are exceptions to unannounced surveys:
Announced surveys: First survey conducted by The Joint Commission;* first survey conducted under the Early Survey Policy;* Focused Standards Assessment Options 2 and 3 surveys
The following receive seven-day notice of surveys:
Ambulatory care: Office-based surgery practices; telehealth services; sleep centers; ambulatory surgery centers not using accreditation for deemed status and those that only provide surgery/anesthesia services.
The following ambulatory care organizations with only one of the following services:* medical/dental with less than 5,000 annual visits or less than three licensed independent practitioners; specified diagnostic/therapeutic with less than 3,000 annual visits or four or less licensed independent practitioners; mobile diagnostic services.
Behavioral health: Correction settings; foster care programs; methadone programs; free-standing community-based homes; residential and group homes.
The following behavioral health organizations with less than 10 staff or average daily census less than 100: “small” settings; outpatient and day programs; 24-hour services; in-home behavioral health, case management, or assertive community treatment (ACT) program; inpatient freestanding organizations; community-based, freestanding organizations; inpatient crisis stabilization programs; residential/group homes.
Home care: Home care organizations with only one of the following services:* home health/personal care/support services with 30 or fewer patients; hospice with 10 or fewer patients; pharmacy with 50 or fewer patients; home medical equipment services with 30 or fewer patients (unless using accreditation to meet Medicare DMEPOS requirements); home infusion therapy services with 30 or fewer patients.
Laboratory: “Small” organizations with less than 25,000 tests per year; freestanding in-vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratories.
Other facilities: Department of Defense facilities; Bureau of Prison facilities; Immigration facilities.
For more information, organizations can refer to the accreditation manual, visit the Connect® extranet, or contact their account executive.
* Unless an unannounced survey is required for deemed status purposes.
Learn more
- Benefits of accreditation and certification
- Standards
- Survey process