Achieving the Joint Commission International (JCI) Standards

The Value of JCI Accreditation

Joint Commission International (JCI) is the world’s largest health care accreditor. JCI’s Gold Seal of Approval is a widely recognized benchmark representing the most comprehensive evaluation process in the health care industry.

JCI standards are designed to do the following:

Ensure a safe environment that reduces risk for care recipients and caregivers
Offer quantifiable benchmarks for quality and patient safety
Stimulate and demonstrate continuous, sustained improvement through a reliable process
Improve outcomes and patient experience
Enhance efficiency
Reduce costs through standardized care

Many hospitals around the world are seeking to attain or retain accreditation of the JCI Standards as a key strategic goal. Each element of the standard has the goal of promoting quality and patient safety. Therefore, JCI require demonstrable evidence from the healthcare facility.

Seven of the JCI goals are directly related to the features SureWash provides. We have conducted an analysis of these specific goals and the associated questions asked by auditors. Through our simple guide, we show customers how using SureWash for training and education can help with achieving the JCI standards and where our automated reporting matches the data requirement.

SureWash’s key features helping you achieve the JCI standards

Evidence-based training

SureWash uses evidence-based training following the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to train staff, patients and visitors in the correct handwashing and hand disinfectant technique.

Our core technology objectively assesses a user’s hand movements to the WHO protocol. By using a camera, we display a live video image of the users hands on a screen. Our technology then guides the user through the correct hand hygiene technique and provides objective, real-time feedback on their performance. It therefore helps improve technique, while also increasing and maintaining compliance with the 5 Moments of hand hygiene.

By implementing the SureWash technology, healthcare facilities can shift learning from the classroom setting into the workplace environment. Therefore, this enables staff to train in the own time. We encourage a practice-rest-repeat technique so that staff do not have to spend long periods of time training. Rather, we encourage short bursts of learning to help encourage enthusiasm and engagement. Consequently, this method of teaching ensures that hand hygiene becomes a habit, and that the correct technique is performed automatically at the point of care. However, it also releases time taken for classroom training and in-person assessments, therefore freeing IPC resources to do other complex tasks.

Lesson & Quiz functionality

SureWash is a complete solution for implementing hand hygiene and infection control education within the hospital. Broader training on the why and when of hand hygiene is available to support the practical technique training. This is a critical element in achieving the JCI standards.

The SureWash lesson and quiz function enables hospitals to deliver education on IPC topics that are relevant to their facility. Hospitals can use SureWash’s curriculum developed in conjunction with clinical experts to deliver this education to both new and existing staff. There is a range on content on hand hygiene, PPE, glove use, contact precautions and much more. Therefore, this training is available on demand and facilities can roll it out rapidly to keep up with emerging trends. SureWash also facilitates rotation of training between departments throughout the year to help with the delivery of refresher training.

Automated Reporting

All training data form the SureWash system is uploaded to the SureWash.Net reporting suite. Our reporting suite helps identify gaps in learning and areas in need of re-training. Hospitals can also filter their data by role or department for a specific time-range and export it to PDF or Excel. Therefore, this helps to improve infection prevention and control activities and to reduce health care associated infection rates.

In addition, as part of the JCI audit, hospitals should communicate findings and trends from quality improvement activities to all staff through education. SureWash reports support this as hand hygiene training scores and trends over time are available by department also. To compare these department training scores, hospitals can also display leader boards on their SureWash devices. This is a great way to encourage engagement and enthusiasm during training.

Therefore, all of the hospitals SureWash training records are automatically available for the JCI audit.

The relevant JCI goals SureWash can assist with are as follows:

PCI.4: The hospital designs and implements a comprehensive infection prevention and control program that identifies the procedures and processes associated with the risk of infection and implements strategies to reduce infection risk.
PCI.5: The hospital uses a risk-based data-driven approach in establishing the focus of the health care–associated infection prevention and control program.
PCI.5.1: The hospital identifies areas at high risk for infections by conducting a risk assessment,
develops interventions to address these risks and monitors the effectiveness.
PCI.13: Gloves, masks, eye protection, other protective equipment, soap, and disinfectants are available and used correctly when required.
PCI.14: The infection prevention and control process is integrated with the hospital’s overall program for quality improvement and patient safety, using measures that are epidemiologically important to the hospital.
PCI.15: The hospital provides education on infection prevention and control practices to staff, physicians, patients, families, and other caregivers when indicated by their involvement in care.

To conclude, for each of these standards, we show the audit questions and the relevant role of SureWash specific to that question. To learn more about how we can assist hospitals in achieving the JCI standards, follow the link below.

Read the full document here.