Standards
Joint Commission standards are the basis of an objective evaluation process that can help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The standards focus on important patient, individual, or resident care and organization functions that are essential to providing safe, high quality care. The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards set expectations for organization performance that are reasonable, achievable and surveyable.
Joint Commission Standards
Joint Commission standards help you develop strategies to address the most complex issues and identify key vulnerabilities in the patient care experience. The standards review various aspects of your care delivery process, ensuring a comprehensive review of the patient care experience.
The accreditation and certification standards manuals are available in print and electronic formats and can be purchased from Joint Commission Resources®.
National Patient Safety Goals
Field Reviews
Contribute to our knowledge base
The Joint Commission regularly updates its requirements for accreditation. As part of that process, we seek input from health care professionals and others with knowledge in a variety of settings. You can help by reading and commenting on proposed requirements related to your practice area.
Prepublication Standards
Prepublication standards are used to communicate upcoming changes to our standards and Elements of Performance (EPs). The reports are posted before being published in E-dition and the comprehensive manuals.
Standards FAQs
For answers to frequently asked questions about standards, please visit the Standards Interpretation section.
Universal Protocol
Requirements
Joint Commission Requirements is a free listing of all policy revisions to standards published in Joint Commission Perspectives that have gone into effect since the accreditation/certification manual was last issued.
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Standards
- About Our Standards
- Standards Field Reviews
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National Patient Safety Goals
- National Patient Safety Goals
- Ambulatory Health Care: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Assisted Living Community: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Behavioral Health Care and Human Services: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Critical Access Hospital: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Home Care: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Hospital: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Laboratory Services: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Nursing Care Center: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
- Office-Based Surgery: 2022 National Patient Safety Goals
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Prepublication Standards
- Prepublication Standards
- Revisions to the Environment of Care and Life Safety Chapters
- New and Revised Requirements Addressing Antibiotic Stewardship for the Hospital and Critical Access Hospital Programs
- New and Revised Requirements to Reduce Health Care Disparities
- New COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Standard
- New Requirements for the Advanced Certification in Perinatal Care
- Revisions Resulting from the Hospital Deeming Application
- Updates to Assisted Living Community Accreditation Requirements
- R3 Report
- Standards FAQs
- Universal Protocol
- Patient Safety Systems PS Chapter