Joint Commission: Changes to post-survey processes, decision rules

Editor's Note

The Joint Commission on February 22 announced that recent changes had been made to simplify and streamline the accreditation post-survey process and decision rules.

Among the changes:

• An organization with an accredited with follow-up decision will receive full accreditation once it has successfully submitted evidence of standards compliance. A follow-up survey is conducted within 6 months to confirm sustained compliance.
• The contingent accreditation category has been eliminated, leaving four: accredited, accredited with follow-up survey, preliminary denial of accreditation, and denial of accreditation. Preliminary denial of accreditation has new decision rules.
• The post-survey process with a preliminary denial of accreditation decision has changed. Instead of submitting evidence of standards compliance within 60 days, organizations are required to submit a plan of correction within 10 business days of the final report. A survey to validate implementation of the plan will occur within 2 months. If the survey does not confirm implementation of the plan, the decision will remain preliminary denial of accreditation, and the organization may seek an appeal. 

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