Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for ... - Joint Commission

JOINT COMMISSION PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVE
This white paper emanates from the Joint Commission’s new Public
Policy Initiative. Launched in 2001, this initiative seeks to address
broad issues that have the potential to seriously undermine the provision
of safe, high-quality health care and, indeed, the health of the
American people. These are issues which demand the attention and
engagement of multiple publics if successful resolution is to be
achieved.
For each of the identified public policy issues, the Joint Commission
already has state-of-the-art standards in place. However, simple application
of these standards, and other unidimensional efforts, will leave
this country far short of its health care goals and objectives. Thus, this
paper does not describe new Joint Commission requirements for health
care organizations, nor does it focus on new requirements that may be
forthcoming in the future.
Rather, the Joint Commission has devised a public policy action plan
that involves the gathering of information and multiple perspectives on
the issue; formulation of comprehensive solutions; and assignment of
accountabilities for these solutions. The execution of this plan includes
the convening of expert roundtables and national symposia, the
issuance of white papers, and active pursuit of the suggested
recommendations contained therein.
This paper is a call to action for those who influence, develop or carry
out policies that will lead the way to resolution of the identified issues.
This is specifically in furtherance of the Joint Commission’s stated
mission to improve the safety and quality of health care provided
to the public.