No abstract

Preparing a large hospital for a Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) survey is always a challenging endeavor. Because staff members have diverse learning needs it is important that staff be educated in the JCAHO standards. In this article, the author describes the educational strategies used to prepare a healthcare organization for an impending JCAHO survey. Learning styles, the domains of learning, and the accessibility to education by the satellite facilities were determining factors in the selection of the various educational strategies.

A large urban university medical center used a unique set of strategies in preparation for its triennial survey conducted by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Although the medical center had experienced many Joint Commission surveys, this particular survey was the first to include associated physician offices in multiple diverse settings. To address these challenges, the hospital developed a structure and process that engaged all levels of staff and ensured a successful survey outcome.