JCI delays new standards

The effective date for the Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, 7th Edition has been delayed from October 2020 to January 2021.

The Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, 7th Edition is available but the effective date of the standards has changed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are focused on ensuring safe, quality patient care and may not have enough time to learn and comply with new and revised standards requirements by the current effective date of 1 October 2020. The effective date of the standards is now changed to 1 January 2021. All hospitals with an accreditation survey scheduled on or before 31 December 2020 will be surveyed under the 6th edition of the hospital standards.

JCI has released an online curriculum that details the changes from the 6th edition to the 7th edition of the standards and highlights the new standards in the 7th edition.

JCI has resumed international accreditation surveys but due to continued travel restrictions and the fluid nature of COVID-19 in general, it will be conducting most surveys as either a virtual survey or a hybrid survey. These are:

  • Virtual Survey: The survey is conducted completely by video, with all surveyors remote from the organisation
  • Hybrid Survey: The survey is conducted with one or more JCI surveyors on site at the organisation, and the remainder of the JCI team remote and participating via video.

JCI has said it has experience and expertise in conducting surveys using both modes of operation. Both types of surveys are rigorous, robust and rewarding and follow the same survey methodology and activities as the onsite survey. All standards chapters and measurable elements are examined, and full tracer activity is conducted. All decision rules and criteria are applied in the same manner, and an organisation’s accreditation decision is the same regardless of survey mode used.

Advantages to the virtual and hybrid surveys include:

  • Reduced survey fees
  • Reduced surveyor travel expenses
  • Few or no travel restriction issues
  • Ample access to JCI’s expert surveyors, who are well-versed in the virtual and hybrid survey methodology
  • Interactive, engaging, and informative survey experience while maintaining secure connections