Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Speak out: Corrections By Karen H. Timmons President and CEO Joint Commission International
IN A recent Sun.Star Cebu article, “Local Hospital Seeks Accreditation to Attract, Serve Foreign Patients,” Oscar Tuason, administrator of Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital, leads readers to two incorrect conclusions.
First, Joint Commission International (JCI) standards are not “American standards.” Although JCI is an affiliate of US-based Joint Commission, JCI standards are developed and maintained by an International Standards Subcommittee, composed of experts representing five major regions of the world. These international standards are designed to be adaptable to multiple cultures, regulatory and legal systems.
Over time, these standards evolve based on additional best practices and lessons learned from many hospitals accredited around the world. Please visit our web site at www.jointcommissioninternational. org for the list of accredited hospitals. For example, the 3rd Edition of JCI Standards, which took effect Jan. 1, 2008, better protects patients, including medical travelers, by including more stringent requirements for verifying the credentials of health care practitioners.
Second, JCI does not simply issue an ultimatum for compliance. JCI helps every hospital set up the quality systems and safety monitoring processes that will enable them to improve continuously, the quality of their care. JCI’s 300 hospital accreditation standards have become a model for standards developed by governments around world. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) endorses the JCI model of accreditation and has named JCI the sole WHO Collaborating Center for Patient Safety Solutions.
In many countries, JCI works with the ministries of health to develop their own standards and establish their own accrediting bodies. For China’s Ministry of Health, JCI signed an agreement in July 2007 to help improve the quality of care and patient safety by assisting the Chinese government with development of an evaluation system for Chinese public and non-profit hospitals.
Above all, JCI is committed to continuously improving the safety and quality of care in the international community through the provision of education, publications, consultation, evaluation, and accreditation services.
