Critical Access Hospital and Hospital Requirements Streamlined to Reduce Burden

As part of continued efforts to improve the accreditation process, The Joint Commission has revised its critical access hospital and hospital standards and elements of performance (EPs) to reduce burden on accredited organizations These revisions provide a streamlined approach that more directly identifies the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs). Consequently, the updates also differentiate which Joint Commission requirements rise above the regulatory requirements. While these revisions, intended to provide greater clarity for organizations seeking accreditation and effective January 1, 2026, are substantial, no new concepts have been introduced.

Note: Joint Commission’s maternal safety requirements (Standards PC.06.01.01 and PC.06.03.01) have been removed at this time and will be replaced by EPs that align with a recent CMS final rule related to obstetrical services. Once approved by CMS, the changes will be communicated in Perspectives and posted on the Prepublication Standards page of Joint Commission’s website.

Accreditation Requirements

These documents contain all requirements for the accreditation programs, along with any associated regulations displayed below the EP.

• Accreditation Requirements for Critical Access Hospitals
• Accreditation Requirements for Hospitals

Crosswalks

These documents display the CoPs for each deemed program and the equivalent Joint Commission EPs.

• Critical Access Hospital Crosswalk
• Critical Access Hospital DPU Crosswalk
• Hospital Crosswalk
• Psychiatric Hospital Crosswalk

Survey Process Guides (SPGs)

These guides replace the Survey Activity Guides previously used. This guide will be used by both organizations and surveyors. The SPGs closely follow CMS’s interpretive guidelines and survey procedures, providing a direct correlation between the survey process and the associated EPs and CoPs.

• SPG for Critical Access Hospitals
• SPG for Hospitals

Disposition Reports

These documents contain information regarding where concepts have moved from their previous EP location to their revised EP location with a Disposition column to describe the type of change that occurred (such as Moved, Consolidated, Split, etc.)

• Disposition Report for Critical Access Hospitals
• Disposition Report for Hospitals

Crosswalk Compare Reports

These documents display the CoPs for each deemed program, the previous equivalent Joint Commission EPs, and the revised equivalent Joint Commission EPs.

• Critical Access Hospital Crosswalk Compare
• Critical Access Hospital DPU Crosswalk Compare
• Hospital Crosswalk Compare
• Psychiatric Hospital Crosswalk Compare

Prepublication standards: effective January 1, 2026