New Survey Agenda Process Allows Flexibility

• 1/25/2010
• Author: Janet Pimentel
• Category: The Source Blog
• 16006 Views
• 0 Comments
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I don’t know if you’ve heard yet, but The Joint Commission is implementing a new approach for developing the agenda for on-site surveys that is more customer friendly. The survey agenda will still look similar to what it has been in the past; no survey activities are changing. The major change is that The Joint Commission will inform organizations before their survey about the survey length and the number of surveyors. The organization also will work with the surveyors during the survey to determine the best time for the various survey activities. This gives the organizations more flexibility about when the activities will occur. This new process is intended to be more sensitive to the time demands of the organization and its staff members while still providing a thorough survey.

Not sure what to expect? The Joint Commission will send an e-mail to the organization to confirm the programs to be surveyed and to direct the organization to go to its Extranet page to find the list of survey activities for each applicable accreditation program. Shortly later, the Joint Commission account executive will call the organization to confirm that it has reviewed and understands the information on the Extranet site. The account executive also will provide the anticipated number of days and the number of surveyors that will be assigned to the organization’s survey. On the first day of the survey, surveyors will work with the organization to confirm that the agenda considers the organization’s operations and needs. That’s when the organization can provide input regarding when activities should occur. I don’t know about you, but I like it when I can have some input on important things that happen to me.

Any organization due for an on-site survey this year can expect to experience this new survey agenda process. I think this is a great way to start of 2010! What do you think?

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