Health Care Accreditation by the Joint Commission Essays

Health Care Accreditation by the Joint Commission Essays Health Care Accreditation by the Joint Commission Paper Health Care Accreditation by the Joint Commission Paper Current success and progress in the health care industry owes a lot to the work of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health organizations (JCAHO) now the Joint Commission. Heath care quality and safety have become the basis for evaluating the competence of health care establishments as well as the compliance with international health care standards. The Joint Commission is a non-profit organization established in 1951 in the United States with the main objective of evaluating and accrediting health care organizations. To date, close to 16,000 organizations in the health care industry in the United States have been accredited by the Joint Commission. Of the 16,000, about 3,900 are home care establishments, 4,400 are hospitals while more than 7,000 include other health care organizations providing related services such as ambulatory care, laboratory, long term services and behavioral health care (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare, 2010). Moreover, the commission is involved in the evaluation and accreditation of networks for health care and health plans. The affairs of the commission are governed by a number of representatives drawn from the American College of Surgeons, the American Hospital association, the American College of Physicians, the American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, six public members, the president of the Joint Commission (JC) and a nursing representative (Joint Commission Resources, 2002-2009). However, as from July 2010, the Joint Commission will be subject to the Medicaid and Medicare Centres since the Section 125 of MIPPA-Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act enacted in 2008 recently withdrew the commission’s statutory guaranteed authority. The Joint Commission provides through the accreditation services, a structure that helps health care provision establishments to improve safety and performance. This certification helps these establishments to raise the performance bar on a companywide perspective as well as providing a means for health home care providers to asses and monitor their personal performance basing on the JCAHO-led organizational quality initiatives. Despite the commission being privately run, most state governments have come to recognize its services such that they acknowledge accreditation by the commission as a basic requirement for health care organizations seeking licensure and the Medicaid reimbursement. The Joint Commission spreads information, measures performance, advocates for the implementation of measures on patient safety and introduces the recommendations formulated in various public policies. The commission works in collaboration with the private non-profit making affiliate known as the Joint Commission Resources, Inc (Joint Commission Resources, 2002-2009). In 1997, JCR formed the Joint Commission International (JCI) to extend the mandate of the Joint Commission world wide. On an international level, JCI provides consultation, accreditation, training programs and also publishes accreditation manuals. The Joint Commission has successfully spread its mission to over sixty countries where it evaluates, demonstrates and enhances patient care quality and safety by working in collaboration with the various agencies in public health, health ministries as well as international organizations in healthcare such as WHO. The commission’s goals on patient safety and accreditation standards are updated annually so as to maintain high standards of health care quality. The goals of the commission seek to address the problematic health care areas and also to describe both expert and evidence-based solutions to handle such problems. Most of these goals focus on system wide designs as it plays a central role in the delivery of high quality health care and safety. The process of accreditation The accreditation services are customized to meet the setting of an organization and at the same time maintaining the goals of the commission. The accreditation experts from JC offer an organization comprehensive and practical assistance to it prepare for accreditation (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare, 2010). They begin with an assessment of the organization’s level of compliance with JCI’s standards and then assist in formulating important procedures or steps that will help the organization to meet JCI’s standards. The assessment covers the ambulatory care, the continuum of care, health care transport services, laboratory, and the hospital after which a comprehensive report is prepared and from which corrective actions are formed. Apart from guiding through the preparation of the action plan, the expert consultants provide training and education to the staff. The experts then continue to provide both on and off-site assistance to ensure that the action plans are working. Periodical simulated surveys similar to the JCI’s survey are conducted with the help of the experts to assess readiness for accreditation. A comprehensive survey is also conducted 6 to 8 moths prior to the actual accreditation survey. Accreditation is provided once the preparation is over and the organization is fully compliant to the standards. JCI monitors the systems of the organizations form time to time to ensure compliance. References Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare. (2010). Accreditation Process Guide for Hospitals. Joint Commission on. Joint Commission Resources. Accreditation and Certification. (2002-2009). Retrieved 12 May 2010 from jointcommissioninternational.org/Search/

How to Wake Up Feeling Motivated

How to Wake Up Feeling Motivated Weve all been there. The alarm goes off in the morning and we groggily feel around the nightstand in search of the alarms snooze button to snag a few more minutes of those precious Zzs. However, repeatedly hitting that snooze button isnt always the best way to start the day. In fact, research has shown that some of the most successful people in the world have found a secret that has helped them achieve greatness. What is it? A great morning routine. Thats right, what you do in the morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. Check out these tips for building an effective morning routine - one that you may actually stick with! 1. Prepare the Night Before Believe it or not, when it comes to tips on how to wake up, the best morning routine will actually depend on what you do the night before. Before you crawl under the covers and get cozy, take the time to review your day and plan out your morning. Write down any details of ongoing projects or problems that may be troubling you that could affect your ability to get a good nights sleep. Writing down your worries can help you relax, knowing that you can tackle them another time. You can also take the time to write down a list of things you know you have to do the next day, which can drive your productivity both in the morning and throughout the rest of the day, too. Figure out what you need to take with you to school or work, or wherever youre going the next day, and pack up your bag or prepare your lunch so you can grab and go. Lay out your clothes so you know what to put on to leave the house. All these steps will ease your mind at night and make your morning smooth and simple. 2.  Get a Good Nights Sleep How to wake up feeling refreshed and developing an effective morning routine is reliant on you being well rested and ready to go. Research has shown that for many adults, getting 7-8 hours of sleep is ideal, though everyone differs. Find out what your sweet spot is and aim to log that many hours of shut eye each and every night. Make sure your room is quiet; use a noise canceling machine, white noise app on your phone, or even just a fan to block out the noises around your home. Make sure there arent any bright lights that could affect your ability to sleep, either. Our bodies are biologically programmed to sleep when its dark out; if your room isnt dark enough, you might consider getting room darkening drapes or wearing an eye mask so your body can rest better. 3. Dont Hit the Snooze Button Many of us hit that snooze button until the last possible second and then race through getting ready as fast as possible. However, waking up when the alarm goes off the first time can actually be a great way to get your body up and running. There are alarms that fly or roll away when they go off, requiring you to get up out of bed to turn them off. Once youre up, stay up! Your body wont really benefit from capturing a few more minutes of rest. 4. How to Wake up Early Set your alarm for earlier in the morning than you might normally set it. This way, you give yourself time to get ready for the day, and you can fit in the activity that you plan on doing. Not giving yourself enough time to accomplish your morning goals, make and eat breakfast, and complete your entire routine is a recipe for disaster. Not to mention that rushing to get out the door is only going to give you a stressful start to your day. So, be sure to get up early enough to fit in everything you want to do, with time to spare. You might even be able to sneak in an extra cup of coffee (after youve had some water to hydrate)! 5. Set an Agenda with an Activity for the Morning Have a plan for what you want to do in the morning, and stick to it. Whether your goal is to get up and read an article or book for educational or inspirational purposes, check your email to see what youre facing for the day, do some chores, exercise, or even play a game, having an objective to complete is a great way to get your body and mind motivated. Tackle that crossword in the newspaper, cook up a healthy and gourmet breakfast, or engage in a creative or physical activity to rev your internal engines and get ready for the day. Get out and run a mile, bike to get your morning smoothie, or take your dog for an extra long walk. No matter what physical activity you choose, this can be a great way to get your blood flowing and heart pumping, energizing you for the day. Plus, exercise is a healthy part of your daily routine in general, improving your quality of life in many ways, from strength and agility to mental clarity. 6. Hydrate When You Wake Youve just gone approximately eight hours without eating or drinking, so your body could use a pick me up. Dont rush for that cup of coffee just yet, though. Many experts suggest that you might try drinking some water to jump start your metabolism first. Starting with water in the morning will even help you make progress in getting your daily servings of H20, so you stay hydrated all day long. 7. Take Time to Meditate and Reflect Many people find that taking 10-15 minutes in the morning to meditate and reflect helps them start the day peacefully. Relaxing, letting the worries of the day go, and focusing on the positives in your life can help you feel uplifted and inspired to take on even the most challenging day. 8. Call a Loved One Starting your morning by connecting with a beloved family member or best friend can be a great way to energize yourself and set a positive tone for the day. It can help you connect with friends and family who live far away (check your time zones, though!) and remind you of what youre thankful for in life.