Effective 1 January 2015
Joint
Commission
International
Standards for
Clinical Care
Program
Certification
English
Standards-Only Version
3rd Edition
Section I: Accreditation
Participation Requirements
JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
Accreditation
Participation
Requirements (APR)
Requirement: APR.1
The clinical care program meets all requirements for timely submissions of data and information to Joint
Commission International (JCI).
Requirement: APR.2
The program provides JCI with accurate and complete information through all phases of the certification
process.
Requirement: APR.3
The program reports within 15 days any changes in the program’s profile (electronic database) or information
provided to JCI via the E-App before and between surveys.
Requirement: APR.4
The program permits on-site evaluations of standards and policy compliance or verification of quality and
safety concerns, reports, or regulatory authority sanctions at the discretion of JCI.
Requirement: APR.5
Requirement: APR.6
Not applicable to Clinical Care Program Certification
Requirement: APR.7
Not applicable to Clinical Care Program Certification
Requirement: APR.8
The program accurately represents its certification status and the programs and services to which JCI
certification applies.
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JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
Requirement: APR.9
Any individual program staff member (clinical or administrative) can report concerns about patient safety and
quality of care to JCI without retaliatory action from the program.
To support this culture of safety, the program must communicate to staff that such reporting is permitted. In
addition, the program must make it clear to staff that no formal disciplinary actions (for example, demotions,
reassignments, or change in working conditions or hours) or informal punitive actions (for example,
harassment, isolation, or abuse) will be threatened or carried out in retaliation for reporting concerns to JCI.
Requirement: APR.10
Translation and interpretation services arranged by the program for a certification survey and any related
activities are provided by translation and interpretation professionals who are licensed and/or qualified and
have no relationship to the program.
Requirement: APR.11
The program notifies the public it serves about how to contact its program management and JCI to report
concerns about patient safety and quality of care.
Methods of notice may include, but are not limited to, distribution of information about JCI, including contact
information in published materials such as brochures and/or posting this information on the program’s
website.
Requirement: APR.12
The program provides patient care in an environment that poses no risk of an immediate threat to patient
safety, public health, or staff safety.
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Section II: Standards
JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
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International Patient
Safety Goals (IPSG)
Goal 1: Identify Patients Correctly
Standard IPSG.1
The organization develops and implements a process to improve accuracy of patient identifications.
Goal 2: Improve Effective Communication
Standard IPSG.2
The organization develops and implements a process to improve the effectiveness of verbal and/or telephone
communication among caregivers.
Standard IPSG.2.1
The organization develops and implements a process for reporting critical results of diagnostic tests.
Standard IPSG.2.2
The organization develops and implements a process for handover communication.
Goal 3: Improve the Safety of High-Alert Medications
Standard IPSG.3
The organization develops and implements a process to improve the safety of high-alert medications.
Standard IPSG.3.1
The organization develops and implements a process to manage the safe use of concentrated electrolytes.
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JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
Goal 4: Ensure Correct-Site, Correct-Procedure, Correct-
Patient Surgery
Standard IPSG.4
The organization develops and implements a process for ensuring correct-site, correct-procedure, and correct-
patient surgery.
Standard IPSG.4.1
The organization develops and implements a process for the time-out that is performed in the operating
theatre immediately prior to the start of surgery to ensure correct-site, correct-procedure, and correct-patient
surgery.
Goal 5: Reduce the Risk of Health Care–Associated
Infections
Standard IPSG.5
The organization adopts and implements evidence-based hand-hygiene guidelines to reduce the risk of health
care–associated infections.
Goal 6: Reduce the Risk of Patient Harm Resulting from
Falls
Standard IPSG.6
The organization develops and implements a process to reduce the risk of patient harm resulting from falls.
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Program Leadership
and Management
(PLM)
Standard PLM.1
Program leaders and roles are clearly identified, and leadership is collectively responsible for defining the
program.
Standard PLM.2
The program is designed, implemented, and evaluated collaboratively.
Standard PLM.3
The program is relevant to and meets the needs of the target population and/or health care service area.
Standard PLM.4
The scope and level of care and/or services offered by the program are provided to patients and, when
appropriate, families.
Standard PLM.5
The scope and level of care and/or services provided are uniform and comparable for patients with the same
acuity and type of disease or condition being managed, regardless of their ability to pay or the source of
payment.
Standard PLM.6
Eligible patients have access to the care and/or services provided by the program.
Standard PLM.7
The program operates in an ethical manner.
Standard PLM.8
The program uses current scientific information, reference materials, and resource materials to support patient
care, health professional education, and clinical research.
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JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
Standard PLM.9
Facilities where patients receive care maintain and implement a program that provides a safe and secure
physical environment.
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Delivering or
Facilitating Clinical
Care (DFC)
Standard DFC.1
All clinical staff are qualified, competent, and appropriately trained.
Standard DFC.2
All clinical and nonclinical staff are oriented to the program and to their specific job responsibilities.
Standard DFC.3
There are continuous, ongoing professional practice evaluations of the quality and safety of the clinical care
provided by each staff member.
Standard DFC.4
The program uses a standardized process originating in clinical practice guidelines or evidence-based practice
to deliver or facilitate the delivery of clinical care.
Standard DFC.5
All clinical staff are knowledgeable about the adapted or adopted clinical practice guidelines and implement
activities that are consistent with the clinical practice guidelines.
Standard DFC.6
The program tailors the standardized process to meet the patient’s needs.
Standard DFC.7
Concurrently occurring conditions and comorbidities are managed, or the information necessary for their
management is communicated to the appropriate clinical staff.
Standard DFC.8
The program identifies the procedures and processes associated with the risk of infection and implements
strategies to reduce infection risk.
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JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
Standard DFC.9
Medication storage, preparation, and administration follow standardized processes to ensure patient safety.
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Supporting Self-
Management (SSM)
Standard SSM.1
The program involves the patient and, when appropriate, the family in making decisions about managing their
diseases or conditions.
Standard SSM.2
The program addresses the patient’s and, when appropriate, the family’s educational needs.
Standard SSM.3
The program addresses the patient’s and, when appropriate, the family’s readiness, willingness, and ability to
learn.
Standard SSM.4
The program materials are consistent with the clinical guidelines and relevant and appropriate to the
population served.
Standard SSM.5
The program addresses lifestyle changes that support self-management regimens.
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JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
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Clinical Information
Management (CIM)
Standard CIM.1
The confidentiality, security, and retention of patient information are protected.
Standard CIM.2
The program identifies those authorized to have access to and/or to make entries in the patient clinical record.
Standard CIM.3
The program uses standardized diagnosis codes, procedure codes, symbols, abbreviations, definitions, and
methods for adding comments/addenda.
Standard CIM.4
Information management processes meet the program’s internal and external information needs.
Standard CIM.5
The program has a process to provide continuity of patient care services and coordination among health care
practitioners across the continuum of care.
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JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM CERTIFICATION, 3RD EDITION
Standard CIM.6
The program initiates, maintains, and makes accessible a health or clinical record for every patient.
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Performance
Measurement and
Improvement (PMI)
Standard PMI.1
The program has an organized, comprehensive approach to performance improvement.
Standard PMI.2
The program maintains data quality and integrity.
Standard PMI.3
The program uses measurement data to evaluate and to improve processes and outcomes.
Standard PMI.4
The program uses a defined process for identifying and managing sentinel events.
Standard PMI.5
The process for identifying, reporting, managing, and tracking errors and adverse events is defined and
implemented.
Standard PMI.6
The process for identifying, reporting, managing, and tracking “near-miss” events is defined and implemented.
Standard PMI.7
The program evaluates patient and family perceptions of the quality of care at the program level.
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