A male physician in white coat and a man in a suit conversing as they look at a computer screen.
Snapshot of the Survey Day
The Joint Commission survey process is patient-centered, data-driven, and focused on evaluating actual care processes. The on-site accreditation survey is also intended to be a learning experience. To that end, we provide education and "best practice" guidance to help your staff continually improve performance.
Get Your Survey Activity Guide
The Survey Activity Guide is dedicated to preparing you for the on-site visit. This resource includes:
- Survey Activity Details: A thorough, individualized description of the on-site review events
- Sample Survey Agenda: A helpful, hour-by-hour outline of the survey, showing you what to expect, who to have available, and what you’ll need throughout the on-site visit
- Ready-to-Go List: A list of documents and information you’ll need for the surveyor planning sessions on Day One of your survey
What to Expect on Survey Day
During the on-site survey, we assess your compliance with Joint Commission standards. Survey length depends on the information you supply on your application and the agenda includes key activities like:
- A survey-planning session
- An opening conference and orientation to the organization between our surveyor(s) and your team
- A dedicated leadership session
- A competence assessment process
- An environment of care session, including a building tour
- An exit conference for the survey team to present a written summary of their findings
A unique aspect of our on-site survey process that delivers unmatched value for our accredited organizations is the Tracer Methodology. We assess your compliance with our standards by observing how you serve actual patients, in other words tracing a patient’s actual experience.
