FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 30
Contact: Julia M. Roberts, Joint Commission, (630) 792-5914,
[email protected]
Michael J. Bernstein, American College of Radiology, (703) 648-8910,
[email protected]
JOINT COMMISSION, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY ENTER INTO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
(OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill./RESTON, Va. -- November 30, 1998) The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations today announced the signing of a cooperative agreement that will reduce duplicative onsite evaluations of radiation oncology programs.
Under this agreement, the Joint Commission will accept ACR accreditation decisions for radiation oncology programs that are part of health plans or integrated delivery networks seeking accreditation under the Joint Commission's Network Accreditation Program. It is anticipated that Joint Commission recognition of ACR-accredited radiation oncology programs will be expanded to include all Joint Commission accreditation programs during the next year.
"The American College of Radiology has a well-established evaluation process for these programs," said Dennis S. O'Leary, M.D., president, Joint Commission. "We look forward to working with ACR to reduce excess external evaluation activities for health care organizations in a manner that preserves the validity and integrity of the Joint Commission's accreditation decisions."
The ACR currently accredits 117 radiation oncology programs nationwide. It also offers accreditation programs in mammography (now federally mandated), ultrasound, stereotactic breast biopsy, ultrasound-guided breast biopsy, and MRI. Overall, ACR accredits more than 12,000 programs. "The ACR is proud of its accreditation programs, which have, without a doubt, improved the quality of patient care in radiation oncology and diagnostic imaging," said W. Max Cloud, M.D., chairman of the ACR Board of Chancellors.
"The College looks forward to working with the Joint Commission on this agreement to improve patient care," said Peter Hulick, M.D., chairman of the ACR Committee on Radiation Oncology Accreditation. "Clearly, if duplication of assessment can be avoided and resources better utilized, all parties will benefit."
The ACR evaluates radiation oncology facilities based on standards that have been found to be substantially comparable to those of the Joint Commission. Some of the critical performance areas that are assessed include patients' rights, assessment and care of patients, the peer review process, and the continuum of radiation oncology care.
The Joint Commission launched an initiative to reduce redundancy in the accreditation of health care organizations in 1994. This Cooperative Accreditation Initiative is part of the Joint Commission's national duplication reduction effort, which seeks to reduce duplicative evaluation activities that some accredited health care organizations experience.
Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' mission is to improve the quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including almost 11,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and over 7,000 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services.
The ACR currently accredits 117 radiation oncology programs nationwide. It also offers accreditation programs in mammography (now federally mandated), ultrasound, stereotactic breast biopsy, ultrasound-guided breast biopsy, and MRI. Overall, ACR accredits more than 12,000 programs. "The ACR is proud of its accreditation programs, which have, without a doubt, improved the quality of patient care in radiation oncology and diagnostic imaging," said W. Max Cloud, M.D., chairman of the ACR Board of Chancellors.
"The College looks forward to working with the Joint Commission on this agreement to improve patient care," said Peter Hulick, M.D., chairman of the ACR Committee on Radiation Oncology Accreditation. "Clearly, if duplication of assessment can be avoided and resources better utilized, all parties will benefit."
The ACR evaluates radiation oncology facilities based on standards that have been found to be substantially comparable to those of the Joint Commission. Some of the critical performance areas that are assessed include patients' rights, assessment and care of patients, the peer review process, and the continuum of radiation oncology care.
The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks, and other managed care entities. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' mission is to improve the quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including almost 11,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and over 7,000 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services.
The Joint Commission launched an initiative to reduce redundancy in the accreditation of health care organizations in 1994. This Cooperative Accreditation Initiative is part of the Joint Commission's national duplication reduction effort, which seeks to reduce duplicative evaluation activities that some accredited health care organizations experience.
The American College of Radiology (ACR), founded in 1924, is a major national medical association with more than 31,000 members, comprised of diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists. ACR's goals are to advance the science of radiology; improve radiologic services to patients and promote improved and continuing medical education for diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists and other allied health care professionals.
The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks, and other managed care entities. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
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