Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals--twenty-five years of promoting improved health care services.

A brief history of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH), as well as its structure, purpose and activities, is presented. The procedure for developing JCAH standards for health care facilities is discussed. Also presented are the survey and accreditation processes. It is concluded that as long as the United States values its tradition of voluntarism and believes in positive motivation, the JCAH will be an effective influence on improved health care services.