In a world where healthcare-associated infections and endemic pathogenic threats constantly create a volatile healthcare environment, especially within long-term care facilities, effective infection prevention measures have never been more crucial. According to a study published in the June 2024 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety (JQPS), healthcare facilities accredited by the Joint Commission consistently perform better in combating key healthcare-associated infections.
Healthcare-associated infections, which most commonly occur while a patient receives care in a long-term care facility, pose a significant danger due to patients’ prolonged exposure to bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. In response to this ongoing threat, the aforementioned study thoroughly assessed these infections within long-term care hospitals, critically comparing accredited and non-accredited facilities’ performance.
In the study, evaluations focussed on the standardized infection ratio (SIR) of three key measures: catheter-associated urinary tract infections, Clostridioides difficile infections, and central line-associated bloodstream infections. The SIR, an important infection prevention metric, juxtaposes the actual number of healthcare-associated infections against the projected number.
The findings reveal 244 Joint Commission-accredited facilities and 89 non-Joint Commission-accredited establishments in the dataset. With regards to catheter-associated urinary tract infections and central line-associated bloodstream infections, Joint Commission-accredited facilities consistently registered a significantly lower SIR than non-accredited ones. However, for the Clostridioides difficile measure, the SIR scores were not discernibly different.
Interestingly, the trend of superior performance by accredited facilities persisted throughout each year of the study period, extending from 2017-2019 and July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021. Joint Commission-accredited facilities significantly outperformed the national benchmark on all three measures every year.
In every phase of infection prevention and control, Joint Commission standards demand rigor and precision. Accreditation by the Joint Commission indicates a healthcare organization’s commitment to strong infection prevention measures and adherence to top-quality patient safety standards. The study suggests that the superior SIR scores of Joint Commission-accredited facilities can be attributed to their focus on infection control, the rigorous standards set by the Joint Commission, and the collaborative approach of the survey process to identify and address infection-related risks.
In this complex healthcare climate, healthcare leaders are tasked with making challenging decisions on where to invest resources for optimal patient outcomes. As highlighted by this study, Joint Commission accreditation not only offers a robust roadmap for investment, but also facilitates better patient infection control outcomes.