Accreditations of Healthcare Organizations

What does accreditation mean for a healthcare organization?
Many organizations have accreditations which help them to maintain compliance and standards of law, as well as measure progress and comparison to other organizations.  Accreditation is not mandatory in healthcare settings, but many hospitals and other facilities take part to ensure the progress and quality of their services.  Accreditation also helps hold healthcare facilities accountable for their services and improve their care, when necessary.  Accreditation is beneficial to both healthcare workers and patients, as it promotes competent healthcare professionals and a safe environment.
Who are the healthcare organization accreditation companies?
The 5 large healthcare organizations include URAC (Utilization Review Accreditation Commission), NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance), TJC (The Joint Commission), CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) and COA (Council on Accreditation).  There are also additional accreditation organizations across the nation that serve to accredit hospitals and healthcare organizations.  There are education accreditations that monitor medicine, birthing centers, nursing, surgery, and more.
What is the Joint Commission?
One of the larger healthcare accreditation companies is the Joint Commission.   The Joint commission started in 1951 and works to ensure health care facilities are providing safe and effective care to patients.  They will monitor their facilities at least once every 39 months and are responsible for caring for over 80 percent of the hospitals in the country.  The Joint Commission focuses on many areas of patient care including but not limited to patient rights, infection control, medication management, emergency care and more.
How can I find out if my organization is accredited?
The Joint Commission offers a report on accredited healthcare facilities on their website.  You can always ask at your healthcare facility what accreditations they follow, to find out more information.
Sources:
https://www.jointcommission.org/about/jointcommissionfaqs.aspx?CategoryId=10#2274
https://www.jointcommission.org/facts_about_joint_commission_accreditation_standards/