Jcaho

[goofycow]

Hello:

I posted this question on social chat yesterday & thought I would try here too. Has anyone here heard of the organization JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations)? I saw their brochures sitting on the counter the last time I went to my VAMC mental health appointment. I have been told by members of another vet board that filing a complaint with this agency could cause my VA trouble. (I wish!) I just wondered if there were anything to this organization or if it were just so much PR fluff.

Liz

[vaf]

JCAHO is anything but fluff. It is the accrediting authority that allows hospitals to operate. I worked in an office position once in a short term, acute care hospital in Louisiana during a JCAHO inspection, and I guarantee you, everyone was on their best behavior, made sure due diligence was followed, etc.

You cannot flunk a JCAHO inspection and expect to continue operating. I'm not a healthcare professional so to speak, but I can tell you that it's very important to pass a JCAHO inspection. Once a hospital or other healthcare facility passes such an inspection, they're very proud of the fact and use it in their marketing materials.