The Joint Commission announces changes to its survey process

The Joint Commission announced two recent changes to its survey process that will affect health care facilities management departments.

Reviewing and confirming credentials

In the December 2024 edition of Environment of Care News, The Joint Commission announced that Life Safety Code surveyors are responsible for reviewing the credentials and competency documentation of facilities directors/managers and certain key technicians.

During surveys, the Life Safety Code surveyor “will obtain the facilities director/manager job description from the human resources representative to ensure that this description meets minimum standards for the position. The surveyor will also verify documentation showing that this individual and other key facilities services technicians have specific competencies.”

Documentation sharing requirements

The Joint Commission has included an additional requirement for health care organizations that share data and documentation via USB storage devices.

In the November 2024 edition of the Joint Commission Perspectives newsletter, The Joint Commission shared that effective immediately, health care organizations submitting required data and documentation to surveyors and/or reviewers via USB storage devices must also provide a device, such as a laptop, to the surveyor and/or reviewer that can be used to access the required data and documentation stored on the USB drive.