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Overview

The Emergency Management (EM) portal provides valuable sources of information from The Joint Commission enterprise as well as other organizations related to the topics of emergency management, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

Two EM Chapters

Until further notice, there will be two distinct emergency management chapters. For Hospitals (HAP), Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), Home Care (OME), Ambulatory Care (AHC), Nursing Care Centers (NCC), and Laboratory (LAB) those programs will follow the new EM chapter standards and elements of performance that begin with EM.09.01.01-EM.17.01.01. For all other Joint Commission accredited organizations, please continue to follow the current EM standards, EM.01.01.01-EM.04.01.01.

A new emergency management reference guide has been developed for HAP/CAH, OME, AHC, NCC, and LAB programs to assist cross-referencing the new/revised EM chapter standards to the current/old EM chapter standards. To download a copy, please select the appropriate program below

Hospital reference guideHome care reference guideAmbulatory care reference guideNursing care centers reference guideLaboratory reference guide

EM Standards

The emergency management chapter standards and elements of performance are intended to help organizations prepare for “all-hazard” emergencies. The concept of emergency preparedness is defined as “a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and taking corrective active in an effort to ensure effective coordination during incident response” (National Incident Management System). The development of emergency management chapter standards follows the four phases of EM:

  • Preparedness
  • Response
  • Recovery
  • Mitigation

Disclaimer

The Joint Commission’s placement of content on this website is not an endorsement of the source nor of any particular product or service, nor should it be construed as a statement that the source, or its products or services, are superior to those of other companies. Website users acknowledge The Joint Commission may not be the primary source of the content. By accessing and using website resources, website users agree to make no claim of any kind against The Joint Commission for any and all damages that result from use or implementation of any website content. Some items included on these pages (such as Joint Commission monographs) were developed several years ago. While much of the content remains relevant, users should be aware that the information has not been updated.

Standard FAQs

The link below provides access to many emergency management FAQs and are specific to the accreditation program needed.
Standards Interpretation