1. Is the Joint Commission enough for accrediting the health care organizations? Agila Elsaid Professor: Cynthia Conrad Health Care Delivery PA 642

10. Table shows the number and the type of the reported sentinel events from 1995 to 2009

11. Some stories which raise the question about the Joint Commission Accreditation: Gilbert M. Gaul Washington Post writer (July 25, 2005) wrote that “Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut won accreditation from the joint commission in May 2004. Less than a month later, state regulators reported numerous violations at the hospital. One patient received 10 times the prescribed dosage of a painkiller, according to state records. Another had his left testicle mistakenly removed. Still another, experiencing suicidal thoughts, was given a taxi token and told to find a treatment center. He hanged himself hours later, according to a November 2004 consent agreement between the hospital and state. Norwalk officials agreed to pay the state a $50,000 fine without admitting wrongdoing”.

12. Conclusion: the Joint Commission is doing a very good job specially in making a national and international health care standard, and it plays an important role in improving the quality of the health care. However, as everything in the world, it needs to reevaluate the whole system. In my opinion, the Joint Commission must take some of the responsibility in pre-decided quality event that occur in the accredited organization such as paying part of the fine required due to this event. Furthermore, it should take more serious decision against the sentinel events. And the federal government should take an action toward the Joint Commission in case of serious quality problem in any accredited organization.

13. References: Joint commission , March 15, 2010. Facts about the Joint Commission . Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/facts_about_the_joint_commission/ Allan Tobias , MD JD. (n.d). Need JCAHO , Retrieved from http://www.medicalaw.net/new_page_11.htm Kate Jackson , May 31, 2004, Beyond JCAHO: There’s More Than One Path to Accreditation, For the Record, Retrieved from http://www.fortherecordmag.com/archives/ftr_053104p30.shtml Joint Commission International , (n.d), Costs of Accreditation. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/Cost-of-Accreditation/ Michael Wolfe , September 3, 2010, Benefits & Disadvantages of the Joint Commission, eHow, Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6900079_benefits-disadvantages-joint-commission.html Liz Kowalczyk , March 17, 2007 , Surprise check faults MGH quality of care, Boston Globe, Retrieved from http://www.allbusiness.com/health-care/health-care-facilities-nursing/11897140-1.html Quality Check (2010) Facts about Quality Check and Quality Reports, Retrieved from www.qualitycheck.org/help_qc_facts.aspx Health care quality news (2009) The Joint Commission updates sentinel event statistics, Retrieved from http://www.hcqualitynews.com/home/2009/10/25/the-joint-commission-updates-sentinel-event-statistics.html The Washington Post (2005) Accreditors Blamed for Overlooking Problems, Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401023.html Top of Form