Joint Commission returns to standard procedures on March 15

Effective March 15, the Joint Commission will return to unannounced onsite surveys and other standard procedures, which were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey teams will follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the use of personal protective equipment and enhanced technology to support physical distancing. Organizations with past-due Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services accreditation due dates will be prioritized. The return to unannounced surveys does not apply to freestanding behavioral health care and human services facilities or disease-specific care and health care staffing certification programs. (Joint Commission Online article, 3/10/21)