So far in 2026, The Joint Commission has launched two outcomes-driven certifications and condensed serious safety event lists.
Here are eight updates the accrediting body has announced since January, starting with the most recent:
1. 1. On June 30, Joint Commission International launched a Center of Excellence Certification, which is designed to give international healthcare organizations an independently validated way to demonstrate expertise in specific clinical service lines. The five service lines are pediatrics, oncology, trauma, orthopedics and maternal-perinatal care.
2. The Joint Commission debuted a Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare certification June 1. The certification recognizes U.S. hospitals and health systems that possess governance, safeguards, monitoring processes and education on responsibly using AI in healthcare settings. The certification does not validate or certify AI products; rather, it assesses ethical and safe AI uses, including standards on risk and bias reduction.
Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health said July 29 it was the first U.S. health system to earn this voluntary certification.
3. On May 6, The Joint Commission and National Association of Community Health Centers announced a partnership aimed at supporting community health centers with continuous improvement clinically and operationally. The two organizations said they plan to launch an accreditation program for community health centers.
4. The Joint Commission and the American Hospital Association created a program to help hospitals continue safe clinical operations during cyber-related technology outages. The program includes a free self-assessment tool for hospitals to identify cyberattack vulnerabilities. For a fee, hospitals can submit their results for expert review.
5. The organization launched its first outcomes-driven certifications March 30: one for perinatal care and the other for cardiac procedures. The perinatal care certification will evaluate hospitals’ maternal and newborn outcomes and patient care experiences, and the cardiac certification will assess operation-specific outcome measures, readmissions and patient experience data.
6. Two of The Joint Commission’s affiliate organizations named new board members March 9. Adolfo Llinás, MD, chief medical officer of Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá in Bogotá, Colombia, joined the Board of Joint Commission Resources. Sarita Mohanty, MD, president and CEO of the SCAN Foundation in Long Beach, Calif., joined the National Quality Forum Board.
7. The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum plan to align their serious safety reporting frameworks. The accrediting body will adopt the NQF’s Serious Reportable Events List across all accredited domestic and international organizations, effective Jan. 1.
8. The National Association for Healthcare Quality and The Joint Commission rolled out a new regulatory and accreditation micro-credential for practical survey readiness. The self-paced program trains healthcare professionals to interpret standards, manage surveys and sustain corrective actions.
Editor’s note: This article was updated Aug. 17.
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