4 | Joint Comission served as the basis for the creation of The Joint Commission by the ACS, American College of Physicians (ACP), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) in 1951. In 1959 the CMA withdrew as a corporate member to form its own accrediting organization in Canada. The American Dental Association joined as a corporate member in 1979 ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION Seeking accreditation and certification from The Joint Commission is a voluntary decision to pursue achievement of the highest standards for quality and safety for the delivery of health care. For selected accreditation programs, Joint Commission accreditation can provide a health care organization with eligibility for deemed status from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The Joint Commission’s 20,000 accredited and certified organizations are comprised of health care organizations and clinical programs across the continuum of care. Hospitals and home care services are the largest segments of organizations that seek Joint Commission accreditation. In addition, The Joint Commission accredits laboratories, ambulatory care facilities, long-term care facilities, office-based surgery centers and behavioral health care organizations. The Joint Commission also provides certification of health care staffing services and more than 2,400 programs have earned Joint Commission certification in programs devoted to improving the care of patients with chronic diseases and conditions such as stroke, joint
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