What is the Joint Commission and how does it influence how healthcare job descriptions are written?
Healthcare companies have an extra layer of job description compliance.
Learn more about the Joint Commission and how to ensure your job descriptions comply with requirements.
The Joint Commission is an independent, non-profit organization that accredits and certifies healthcare organizations and programs in the United States. Its main goal is to ensure that healthcare organizations provide safe, high-quality care and continually strive for improvement. While the Joint Commission itself doesn't dictate specific job descriptions, its standards and requirements often influence how healthcare job descriptions are written and structured. In this blog we will examine how the Joint Commission can affect healthcare job descriptions and how healthcare organizations can ensure compliance with requirements laid out from the commission.
Here's how the Joint Commission can affect healthcare job descriptions:
Compliance with Standards: Job descriptions need to align with the standards and requirements set forth by the Joint Commission to ensure compliance. For example, job descriptions may need to include specific responsibilities related to patient safety, infection control, documentation, and quality improvement to meet the Commission's standards.
Patient-Centered Care: The Joint Commission emphasizes patient-centered care. Job descriptions may reflect this by emphasizing roles and responsibilities related to providing patient-centered care, communication with patients and families, and respecting patients' rights and preferences.
Quality Improvement and Performance Measures: Job descriptions may include responsibilities related to data collection, quality improvement initiatives, and adherence to performance measures outlined by the Joint Commission to monitor and improve healthcare quality.
Credentialing and Qualifications: The Joint Commission often sets specific qualifications or credentialing requirements for certain positions within healthcare organizations. Job descriptions may need to align with these requirements to ensure the organization meets the Commission's standards.
Training and Education: Job descriptions may include provisions for ongoing training and education to ensure staff members are knowledgeable about the Joint Commission's standards and requirements and can implement them effectively in their roles.
Documentation and Reporting: The Joint Commission places a significant emphasis on accurate and thorough documentation and reporting. Job descriptions may include responsibilities related to proper documentation, timely reporting, and compliance with documentation standards.
The Joint Commission's influence on healthcare job descriptions is primarily in terms of ensuring that job roles and responsibilities align with the Commission's standards and requirements, emphasizing patient-centered care, promoting quality improvement, adhering to credentialing and qualification criteria, facilitating ongoing education, and stressing accurate documentation and reporting. Organizations aim to create job descriptions that align with these principles to maintain compliance with the Joint Commission and, ultimately, enhance the quality of care provided to patients.
Ensuring that your job descriptions comply with the Joint Commission standards involves a thorough review:
Familiarize Yourself with Joint Commission Standards
Obtain a copy of the Joint Commission standards applicable to your healthcare setting or specific area of interest (e.g., hospitals, ambulatory care, behavioral health).
Thoroughly read and understand the standards, paying particular attention to those relevant to the positions described in your job descriptions.
Review Existing Job Descriptions
Gather all existing job descriptions for positions within your healthcare organization.
Evaluate each job description against the Joint Commission standards to identify areas of alignment and potential gaps.
Identify Key Joint Commission Elements
List the key elements and requirements from the Joint Commission standards that are applicable to the positions outlined in the job descriptions.
Analyze Job Descriptions for Compliance
Review each job description line by line and compare it with the identified key Joint Commission elements.
Check if the job description clearly outlines responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations that align with the relevant Joint Commission standards.
Update and Modify Job Descriptions
Revise job descriptions as needed to ensure compliance with the Joint Commission standards.
Add or modify job responsibilities, qualifications, or any other information to align with the identified Joint Commission elements.
Consult with Compliance and HR Teams
Collaborate with your organization's compliance and human resources teams to ensure accuracy and completeness of the job descriptions in relation to the Joint Commission standards.
Seek Legal or Compliance Expertise
If possible, consult with legal or compliance experts who are knowledgeable about healthcare regulations and can provide guidance on ensuring compliance with the Joint Commission standards.
Training and Education
Conduct training sessions for relevant staff to ensure they understand the updated job descriptions and the importance of compliance with Joint Commission standards.
Regular Review and Update
Establish a process for regular review and update of job descriptions to ensure ongoing compliance with any changes in the Joint Commission standards.
Add a Closing Message
By following these steps and conducting a thorough review and alignment of job descriptions with the Joint Commission standards, you can ensure that your job descriptions comply with the applicable standards and help promote a culture of quality and safety within your healthcare organization.
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