R3 Report Issue 36: New Requirements to Reduce Health Care Disparities
Effective January 1, 2023, new and revised requirements to reduce health care disparities will apply to organizations in the Joint Commission’s ambulatory health care, behavioral health care and human services, critical access hospital, and hospital accreditation programs.
A new standard in the Leadership (LD) chapter with 6 new elements of performance (EPs) has been developed to address health care disparities as a quality and safety priority. Standard LD.04.03.08 will apply to the following Joint Commission–accredited organizations:
- All critical access hospitals and hospitals
- Ambulatory health care organizations providing primary care within the “Medical Centers” service in the ambulatory health care program (the requirements are not applicable to organizations providing episodic care, dental services, or surgical services)
- Behavioral health care and human services organizations providing “Addictions Services,” “Eating Disorders Treatment,” “Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Delays,” “Mental Health Services,” and “Primary Physical Health Care” services
The Record of Care, Treatment, and Services (RC) requirement to collect patient race and ethnicity information has been revised and will apply to the following Joint Commission–accredited programs:
- Ambulatory health care (Standard RC.02.01.01, EP 31)
- Behavioral health care and human services (Standard RC.02.01.01, EP 26)
- Critical access hospital (Standard RC.02.01.01, EP 25)
The Rights and Responsibilities of the Individual (RI) requirement prohibiting discrimination (StandardRI.01.01.01, EP 29) will apply to all Joint Commission–accredited ambulatory health care organizations and behavioral health care and human services organizations.
The prepublication version of the Requirements to Reduce Health Care Disparities will be available online until December 31, 2022. After January 1, 2023, please access the new requirements in the E-dition or standards manual.