The joint commission requires accredited healthcare organizations to have a quality management plan.

Accreditation & Certifications

Quality Management (QM) and Accreditation

Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center earns the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of approval

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization which sets the standards by which healthcare quality is measured in America and around the world, and evaluates the quality and safety of care for more than 15,000 healthcare organizations.

Approximately 80 percent of the nation's medical treatment facilities are currently accredited by The Joint Commission.

To maintain and earn accreditation, organizations must have an extensive on-site review by a team of The Joint Commission healthcare professionals, at least once every three years. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the organization's performance in areas which affect patient care. Accreditation may then be awarded based on how well the organization met The Joint Commission standards. This on-site review at Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center (RWBAHC) took place in January 2020.

The Joint Commission standards address the hospital's performance in specific areas, and specify requirements to ensure that patient care is provided in a safe manner and in a secure environment.

Patients with patient care and safety concerns which have not been addressed by the health center may contact The Joint Commission by calling 1-800-994-6610.

Patient Safety

Patient Safety is everyone's responsibility

The Patient Safety Officer identifies improvement opportunities in medical systems and processes, and assists in implementing effective actions to avoid patient harm and improve patient safety and healthcare quality throughout RWBAHC. We are all patients, which is why we should all be familiar with everyday practices that can improve patient safety.

You can ensure a safer experience with our health care system by being involved and informed about your treatment. Some suggested steps to help make your health care experience safer include:

  • Become a more informed health care consumer
  • Keep track of your history
  • Work with your doctor and other health care professionals as a team
  • Involve a family member or friend in your care
  • Follow the treatment plan agreed upon by you and your doctor

Everyone has a role in patient safety, and everyone will benefit from its successes.

Patient Advocate

Our Patient advocate works for you, our patients.  The Patient Advocate ensures that you have the information you need in order to make the best possible decisions about your health care. The Patient Advocate makes sure patients are aware of available resources and their Rights and Responsibilities within the Military Healthcare System. The Patient Advocate serves as a liaison between patients and the medical team, communicating patients' questions and concerns, investigating patient concerns and directing them to the appropriate person or agency for resolution.

The Patient Advocate is devoted to guiding patients through the confusing maze of healthcare with compassion and understanding.

The Patient Advocate coordinates communication between patients, family members, medical professionals, and administrative team members to ensure that patients are receiving the best possible healthcare services. Our patient advocate responsibly:

  • Directs patient inquiries or concerns
  • Facilitates satisfactory resolution
  • Explains policies to patients
  • Performs as a liaison between patients and the health center Commander.

Have your received outstanding service from someone in RWBAHC? Do you have a suggestion on possible improvements we could make? Put in an ICE Comment today.

Your health and safety are our TOP priority!

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit group in the United States that administers voluntary accreditation programs for hospitals and other healthcare organizations. The commission develops performance standards that address crucial elements of operation, such as patient care, medication safety, infection control and consumer rights.

Most state governments require that healthcare organizations receive Joint Commission accreditation as a condition for licensing and Medicaid reimbursement. Also, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recognizes the results of Joint Commission surveys, meaning healthcare facilities that receive Joint Commission accreditation can participate in the federal Medicare program. Organizations that are not surveyed by the Joint Commission or other accrediting group can choose a CMS survey as part of their Medicare participation requirements.

The Joint Commission presently accredits more than 20,500 healthcare programs and organizations in the U.S. To keep its Joint Commission accredited status, a healthcare organization is subject to an onsite evaluation performed by a Joint Commission survey group at least every three years. Laboratories must undergo reviews every two years.

Joint Commission surveys are individually designed for organizations and are meant to guide and evaluate the organization's performance in the areas of patient safety, treatment and care quality. From 18 to 36 months after a full Joint Commission survey, accredited organizations can have an unannounced survey.

The Joint Commission standards function as the foundation for healthcare organizations to gauge and enhance their performance. These standards focus on quality care and patient safety. The Joint Commission develops standards criteria based on feedback and interactions with consumers, healthcare professionals and government agencies. The standards go through a comprehensive development process, which includes conversations with advisors, preparation of draft standards and reviews by outside experts. Prospective standards are also published on the Joint Commission's website and made available for public comment before being approved by the group's board of commissioners.

The Joint Commission accredits the following types of organizations:

  • General, psychiatric, children's, rehabilitation and critical access hospitals
  • Home care organizations, including medical equipment services, pharmacy and hospice services
  • Nursing homes and other long term care facilities
  • Behavioral healthcare organizations and addiction services
  • Ambulatory care providers, including group practices and office-based surgery practices
  • Independent or freestanding clinical laboratories

The Joint Commission also certifies the following services offered at healthcare organizations:

  • Disease-specific care certification
  • Advanced certification in disease-specific care and palliative care
  • Certification for healthcare staffing services
  • Behavioral health and primary care medical home certification (for behavioral health facilities and ambulatory care facilities, hospitals and critical access hospitals)

The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. In 1953, JCAH began accrediting hospitals. The Social Security Amendments of 1965 passed by Congress stated that hospitals accredited by JCAH were permitted to participate in the Medicaid and Medicare programs. In 1987, it became the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). In 2007, the JCAHO name was shortened to The Joint Commission.

The Joint Commission's corporate members include the American College of Physicians, the American College of Surgeons, the American Dental Association, the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association. The Board of Commissioners overseeing the organization includes a consumer advocate, administrators, employers, educators, quality experts, as well as doctors and nurses.

Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a global affiliate group, oversees Joint Commission International (JCI). Joint Commission International works with many types of healthcare organizations around the world with a goal of helping them advance achieve safe and quality patient care, by providing advisory assistance, accreditation and certification. The Joint Commission founded JCI in 1994.

This was last updated in July 2015

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What is The Joint Commission requirement?

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.

Is Joint Commission accreditation mandatory?

Is accreditation or certification mandatory? No. Health care organizations, programs, and services voluntarily pursue accreditation and certification.

Why is Joint Commission accreditation important for healthcare organizations?

Improves risk management and risk reduction – Joint Commission standards focus on state-of-the-art performance improvement strategies that help health care organizations continuously improve the safety and quality of care, which can reduce the risk of error or low-quality care.

What does The Joint Commission accreditation mean for healthcare facilities?

Joint Commission accreditation and certification means your organization complies with the highest national standards for safety and quality of care and is committed to continually improving patient care.