to main content Act on the JCI Accreditation Process | Joint Commission International
Through interviews with staff, patients and leadership, along with inspections and reviews of records, the survey touches every part of your organization and provides a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of your organization's patient safety and quality system.

Submitting Your Application

Identify the month you will be ready for a survey and begin the application process. Submit an e-App on JCI Direct Connect at least 6-12 months in advance. Obtain the instructions for e-App submissions by contacting the JCI Accreditation team.
Surveys by JCI are typically conducted on-site, but there are instances where JCI may opt for a virtual or hybrid approach, blending virtual and on-site components. The decision on which method to use is entirely at the discretion of JCI.
A virtual survey is conducted completely by video with all JCI surveyors remote from an organization.
A hybrid survey is conducted with one or more JCI surveyors on-site at an organization, and the remainder of the JCI team remote and participating via video.
Should JCI decide to conduct the survey virtually, you may find this webinar of interest.

The Survey Process

What to expect on survey day:
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The survey involves an opening conference, leadership interviews, staff qualification and education, a facility tour and a leadership conference — among other key interactions. View a sample agenda for more details.
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Organizations are required to provide documentation and evidence of compliance over a six-month look-back period. View a list of items that should be readily available at the time of your survey.
Upon completion of the survey, JCI provides an objective assessment of quality achievement and patient care and safety.
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JCI SAFER® Matrix provides a comprehensive visual representation of survey findings to help your organization prioritize and focus its corrective actions by measuring the likelihood to harm and scope for each measurable element cited.
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After your organization receives and accreditation decision, JCI may request that the organization completes a Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) for certain findings. Learn more about our SIP process.

The Gold Seal

Once your organization has become accredited, you are entitled to promote The Gold Seal of Approval® to patients everywhere.