Understanding Joint Commission Abbreviations: A Comprehensive Guide
Let’s dive in and explore the world of Joint Commission abbreviations!
Healthcare is an industry that is heavily regulated in the United States. In order to ensure the safety and quality of patient care, a number of organizations have been established to oversee healthcare accreditation and regulation. One of the most well-known organizations in this field is the Joint Commission (TJC).
The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets the standards for healthcare quality and safety in the United States. It is responsible for accrediting over 22,000 healthcare organizations and programs, and its standards are widely recognized as a mark of quality in the healthcare industry.
However, the Joint Commission is not the only organization involved in healthcare accreditation and regulation. There are many other organizations, federal agencies, and acronyms that healthcare professionals need to be familiar with in order to navigate the complex regulatory landscape.
In this blog post, we will explore some of the most common abbreviations related to the Joint Commission and their role in healthcare. We will provide a comprehensive guide to these abbreviations, explaining what they stand for and how they are used in the healthcare industry.
Understanding these abbreviations is important for anyone working in the healthcare industry. Compliance with these standards is essential for ensuring safe and high-quality care for patients, and accreditation from the Joint Commission is often necessary for healthcare organizations to receive reimbursement from payers such as Medicare and Medicaid.
| AABB – American Association of Blood Banks ABMS – American Board of Medical Specialties ACC – American College of Cardiology ACGME – Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education ACH – Acute Care Hospital ACHE – American College of Healthcare Executives ACLS – Advanced Cardiac Life Support ACO – Accountable Care Organization ACS – American College of Surgeons ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act AHA – American Hospital Association AHIMA – American Health Information Management Association AHRQ – Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality AIA – American Institute of Architects AMA – American Medical Association ANA – American Nurses Association ANCC – American Nurses Credentialing Center ANSI – American National Standards Institute AO – Approved Organization (for Medicare certification) AORN – Association of periOperative Registered Nurses APIC – Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology ASC – Ambulatory Surgery Center ASHE – American Society for Healthcare Engineering ASHRAE – American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers ASHRM – American Society for Health Care Risk Management ASPR – Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response BH – Behavioral Health CAC – Clinical Alarm Committee CAH – Critical Access Hospital CAP – College of American Pathologists CARF – Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities CAUTI – Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection CCHIT – Certification Commission for Health Information Technology CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDI – Clinical Documentation Improvement CDS – Clinical Decision Support CE – Continuing Education CIDEX – Cidex solution (disinfectant used in healthcare settings) CLABSI – Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection CLIA – Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments CME – Continuing Medical Education CMS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CNA – Certified Nursing Assistant CNO – Chief Nursing Officer COI – Conflict of Interest COP – Conditions of Participation CPHQ – Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality CPOE – Computerized Provider Order Entry CPR – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation CRNA – Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist CRT – Certified Respiratory Therapist CS – Central Sterile (processing department) CSTE – Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists CT – Computed Tomography CTCAE – Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events CUS – Concerned, Uncomfortable, Safety (communication tool) CUSP – Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program CUSUM – Cumulative Sum (statistical process control method) DEA – Drug Enforcement Administration DNR – Do Not Resuscitate DNV – Det Norske Veritas (accrediting organization) DOH – Department of Health DPH – Department of Public Health DRG – Diagnosis-Related Group DVT – Deep Vein Thrombosis EAP – Employee Assistance Program EBP – Evidence-Based Practice EC – Environment of Care ECHO – Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (telehealth program) ECMO – Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ED – Emergency Department EHR – Electronic Health Record EMR – Electronic Medical Record EMS – Emergency Medical Services EMT – Emergency Medical Technician EMTALA – Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act EP – Elements of Performance FDA – Food and Drug Administration FGI – Facility Guidelines Institute FMEA – Failure Modes and Effects Analysis FQHC – Federally Qualified Health Center FTCA – Federal Tort Claims Act FTE – Full-Time Equivalent GME – Graduate Medical Education GWTG – Get With The Guidelines H&P – History and Physical HAC – Hospital-Acquired Condition HAI – Healthcare-Associated Infection HCAHPS – Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems HCAPS – Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems HCO – Healthcare Organization HEDIS – Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set HHS – Health and Human Services (U.S. Department of) HIM – Health Information Management HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIT – Health Information Technology HITECH – Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus HLD – High-Level Disinfection HMO – Health Maintenance Organization HR – Human Resources HRSA – Health Resources and Services Administration IC – Infection Control ICD – International Classification of Diseases ICD-10 – International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision ICU – Intensive Care Unit IDN – Integrated Delivery Network IHI – Institute for Healthcare Improvement ILSM – Interim Life Safety Measures IM – Information Management IOM – Institute of Medicine IPE – Interprofessional Education IPU – Inpatient Psychiatric Unit IRB – Institutional Review Board IRF – Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility ISMP – Institute for Safe Medication Practices ISO – International Organization for Standardization IT – Information Technology IV – Intravenous JCAHO – Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations JCI – Joint Commission International | KPI – Key Performance Indicator LD – Leadership LDRP – Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum LMS – Learning Management System LOS – Length of Stay LS – Life Safety LSC – Life Safety Code LTAC – Long-Term Acute Care LTC – Long-Term Care MDS – Minimum Data Set MEC – Medical Executive Committee MIPS – Merit-Based Incentive Payment System MM – Medication Management MRA – Magnetic Resonance Angiography MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging MS – Medical Staff MSA – Metropolitan Statistical Area MTF – Military Treatment Facility MU – Meaningful Use NABH – National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers NAHQ – National Association for Healthcare Quality NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness NCCN – National Comprehensive Cancer Network NCI – National Cancer Institute NCP – Nursing Care Plan NCQA – National Committee for Quality Assurance NDNQI – National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators NEJM – New England Journal of Medicine NFPA – National Fire Protection Association NGO – Non-Governmental Organization NIAID – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases NICU – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit NIH – National Institutes of Health NIMH – National Institute of Mental Health NIOSH – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NP – Nurse Practitioner NPSF – National Patient Safety Foundation NPSG – National Patient Safety Goals NQF – National Quality Forum OASIS – Outcome and Assessment Information Set OIG – Office of Inspector General ONC – Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology OPPE – Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation ORYX – Joint Commission’s Performance Measurement and Improvement Initiative OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration PA – Physician Assistant PACT – Patient Aligned Care Team PACU – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit PALS – Pediatric Advanced Life Support PC – Provision of Care, Treatment, and Services PDSA – Plan-Do-Study-Act PDSA – Plan-Do-Study-Act (quality improvement model) PECOS – Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System PEG – Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy PHQ – Patient Health Questionnaire PHR – Personal Health Record PI – Performance Improvement PICC – Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter POCT – Point of Care Testing PPE – Personal Protective Equipment PPS – Prospective Payment System PQRS – Physician Quality Reporting System PSI – Patient Safety Indicator PSO – Patient Safety Organization PT – Physical Therapy QA – Quality Assurance QAPI – Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement QI – Quality Improvement QIO – Quality Improvement Organization RAC – Recovery Audit Contractor RCA – Root Cause Analysis RFI – Request for Information RFID – Radio-Frequency Identification RHC – Rural Health Clinic RI – Rights and Responsibilities of the Individual ROP – Requirement of Participation ROS – Review of Systems RRT – Rapid Response Team RTLS – Real-Time Location System RVU – Relative Value Unit SAMS – System for Award Management SBAR – Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (communication tool) SBIRT – Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment SCIP – Surgical Care Improvement Project SDO – Standards Developing Organization SDOH – Social Determinants of Health SDP – Sentinel Data Portal (The Joint Commission) SES – Socioeconomic Status SNF – Skilled Nursing Facility SOC – Statement of Conditions SOP – Standard Operating Procedure SOR – Statement of Requirements SOW – Scope of Work SPC – Statistical Process Control SQC – Statistical Quality Control SSI – Surgical Site Infection SSN – Social Security Number STEEEP – Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable, Patient-Centered (care model) TAT – Turnaround Time TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury TEP – Technical Expert Panel TJC – The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) TQM – Total Quality Management TQM – Total Quality Management UDI – Unique Device Identifier UDS – Uniform Data System UPIN – Unique Physician Identification Number UR – Utilization Review USP – United States Pharmacopeia USPSTF – U.S. Preventive Services Task Force VA – Veterans Affairs VAP – Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia VBP – Value-Based Purchasing VFC – Vaccines for Children VHA – Veterans Health Administration VNA – Visiting Nurse Association VPN – Virtual Private Network VRE – Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci VTE – Venous Thromboembolism WAC – Washington Administrative Code WHO – World Health Organization WSHA – Washington State Hospital Association WSI – Workforce Safety Initiative WWAMI – Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho (regional medical education program) YPLL – Years of Potential Life Lost ZPIC – Zone Program Integrity Contractor |
In conclusion, understanding these Joint Commission abbreviations is important for anyone working in the healthcare industry. Compliance with these standards is essential for ensuring safe and high-quality care for patients, and accreditation from the Joint Commission is often necessary for healthcare organizations to receive reimbursement from payers such as
