JCAHO Accreditation Categories
Accreditation without type I recommendations. An accreditation decision awarded to a health care organization that demonstrates satisfactory compliance with applicable Joint Commission standards in all performance areas.
Accreditation with type I recommendations. An accreditation decision awarded to a health care organization that demonstrates satisfactory compliance with applicable Joint Commission standards in most performance areas, but has deficiencies in one or more performance areas or accreditation policy requirements that require resolution within a specific time period.
Provisional accreditation. An accreditation decision that results when a health care organization has demonstrated satisfactory compliance with a subset of standards during a preliminary on-site evaluation. This decision remains in effect until one of the other official accreditation decision categories is assigned based on a complete survey against all applicable standards approximately six months later.
Conditional accreditation. An accreditation decision that results when a health care
- Fails to demonstrate satisfactory compliance with applicable Joint Commission standards in multiple performance areas but is believed to be capable of achieving satisfactory standards compliance within a stipulated time period;
- Is persistently unable or unwilling to demonstrate satisfactory compliance with one or more Joint Commission standards; or
- Has failed to comply with one or more specified accreditation policy requirements.
Preliminary nonaccreditation. An accreditation decision that results when it is determined that there is justification to deny accreditation to a health care organization because the organization has failed to demonstrate satisfactory compliance with applicable Joint Commission standards in multiple performance areas or accreditation policy requirements, or for other reasons. This accreditation decision is subject to subsequent review.
Not accredited. An accreditation decision that results when a health care organization has been denied accreditation. This accreditation decision becomes effective only when all available appeal procedures have been exhausted.
Accreditation with commendation. An accreditation decision awarded to a health care organization that has demonstrated more than satisfactory compliance with applicable Joint Commission standards in all performance areas on a complete accreditation survey. Although this decision category has been discontinued as of January 1, 2000, organizations awarded this decision as a result of surveys conducted during 1997, 1998, and 1999 are eligible to retain this designation until their next complete surveys, unless it is lost based on an intra-cycle evaluation.
Source: Joint Commission Environment of Care® News, Sept./Oct. 2000