JCAHO: Keeping an open mind for agencies
Standards’ lack of specificity provides leeway
Sure it would be nice if the standards of the Oakbrook Terrace, IL-based Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) spelled things out a bit more clearly for agencies preparing for survey. But it’s the Joint Commission’s opinion that specific standards are not what its accredited organizations need.
"It needs to be pointed out that our standards are not prescriptive, that every organization is different, and there are many variables involved," Julia Roberts, a JCAHO spokeswoman tells Home Infusion Therapy Management. "There are many ways to comply with the standards, and we try to build flexibility into the process. We don’t presume to know what is right for an organization, and what is right for one may not be right for another."
Roberts points out that many of the areas the JCAHO standards address simply don’t lend themselves to specific standards.
"The vast majority of our standards address process issues," she says.
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