Joint Commission Overhauls Accreditation Standards

Joint Commission recently announced a major update to its healthcare accreditation standards with “Accreditation 360: The New Standard”. Joint Commission describes Accreditation 360 as the most comprehensive evolution of its accreditation process since 1965. Accreditation 360 does not create new standards but streamlines the accreditation and certification process to reduce administrative burden on healthcare organizations. While Joint Commission is cutting its requirements from 1,551 to 774, its survey cycle and process is unchanged. Organizations that are currently compliant with Joint Commission standards are expected to remain compliant under Accreditation 360.

This new and simplified model includes a revamped Accreditation Manual, based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Conditions of Participation, fourteen National Performance Goals and a Continuous Engagement Model option to help organizations stay survey ready. Accreditation 360 also introduces outcome measures for maternity care, hip and knee procedures care, spine procedural care and cardiovascular procedures. Lastly, Joint Commission is creating a quality and safety database for providers across the healthcare industry with the “Survey Analysis For Evaluating STrengths” (SAFEST) Program,  which will share leading practices at accredited organizations.

The new Accreditation 360 standards for hospitals and critical access hospitals will become effective in 2026, but prepublication accreditation changes for hospital and critical access hospitals are available now here.

The E-dition and print manuals will be available in October 2025. Learn more about Accreditation 360 here.    

If you have questions regarding the accreditation, please contact your Dinsmore healthcare attorney.