Joint Commission International Standards for Hospitals, 8th Edition (Original PDF From Publisher)

Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, 8th Edition, provides the basis for accreditation of hospitals throughout the world. The Joint Commission International (JCI) standards featured in the manual define the performance expectations, structures, and functions that must be in place for a hospital to be accredited by JCI.

The standards are divided into four main sections:

1. Accreditation Participation Requirements
2. Patient-Centered Standards
3. Health Care Organization Management Standards
4. Global Health Impact Standards

In addition, the manual includes two chapters for hospitals that meet eligibility criteria for academic medical center accreditation. These standards address additional requirements for human subjects research and medical professional education.

Within each section, standards are separated into chapters. Each standard includes an intent, which describes the rationale for the standard and provides examples (when applicable) on the application of the standards, and measurable elements, which are the specific requirements of the standard.

Key changes in the 8th edition:

• Accreditation Participation Requirements now surveyed as scorable standards
• New Global Health Impact (GHI) chapter focused on environmental sustainability
• New Healthcare Technology (HCT) chapter focused on electronic health records, telehealth, and cybersecurity
• New Patient Safety Chapter and Sentinel Event Policy to promote nonpunitive approach on patient safety event reporting
• New requirements for establishing and implementing a program for nuclear medicine safety
• Enhanced requirements for the care of suicidal patients
• New and expanded requirements for organ and tissue transplant programs
• New requirements for care of vulnerable populations
• New requirement regarding disclosure of clinical errors
• Streamlined risk assessment requirements for facility management and safety
• Enhanced requirements on workplace violence
• Updated infection control requirements on preparedness and response for epidemiologically significant or novel pathogens in response to the global experience with the COVID pandemic