Ways to Define Quality: Credentials Hospital The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits more than 16,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
The Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. To earn and maintain accreditation, an organization must undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission team at least every three years. For more information about The Joint Commission accreditation,
visit their Web site.
Physician Board certification, or the international equivalent, means that doctors have completed the amount of training that a specialty board requires. These physicians have practiced for a specified period of time and passed rigorous written and oral exams. Board certification is generally accepted as a strong indicator of a physician’s competence and experience. To learn more about physician credentials, visit the
Virginia Board of Medicine website.