Joint Commission International (JCI) announced the publication of The Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, 7th Edition available for purchase in English on April 1, 2020. Beginning Oct. 1, 2020, all hospitals and academic medical centers seeking accreditation or reaccreditation from JCI will need to comply with the updated set of accreditation standards, as they will be surveyed under the 7th edition.
JCI international standards are the basis for the accreditation of hospitals and academic medical centers throughout the world. The standards define the performance expectations, structures and functions that must be in place to be accredited by JCI.
The 7th edition will include two main sections on patient-centered care and healthcare organization management. Specific enhancements include new or revised standards in these areas:
• International Patient Safety Goals.
• Care of Patients Chapter that addresses the management of clinical alarm systems, patients at risk of suicide or self-harm and lasers.
• Prevention and Control of Infections Chapter that covers environmental cleanliness for laundry, linens and scrubs, as well as the protection of patients and staff from bloodborne pathogens.
• Facility Management and Safety Chapter that includes fire safety, including the use of interim measures, clarification of expectations for availability of critical utilities and hemodialysis water quality.
• Management of Information Chapter that reviews data access controls, protecting data and information, education and ongoing training of staff who use electronic medical records and the use of scribes.
• Other enhancements include the clarification of sentinel events, adverse events and near misses, an expanded and unified glossary, and updated references and revised chapter overviews.
“We are pleased to introduce the 7th edition of our international accreditation standards for hospitals. These standards reflect the most up-to-date scientific evidence on patient safety as well as input from our current JCI accredited organizations and other expert stakeholders,” says Paula Wilson, president and CEO, JCI. “This newest edition of the JCI hospital standards continues our 20-year history of helping accredited organizations improve the quality and safety of care they provide to patients around the globe. JCI is proud to be a partner with these outstanding organizations.”
