In this paper, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

(JCAHO) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) shall be

distinguished. Both of these accreditation standards shall be analyzed for their perks, relevance,

and importance to the community health care settings. In the end, one of the two will be chosen

as a better standard for ethical standards and confidentiality.

The Difference Between Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

(JCAHO) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Joint Commission is a standard that is implemented in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

Members under this organization undergo a three-year accreditation cycle. In gist, the

organization’s mission is to improve public health care by making sure that the health care

providers excel in their respective fields (The Joint Commission, n.d.). Its main focus is mostly

on patient care and how to improve the same. Those who apply for the accreditation are expected

to at least be proficient in treating catheter-related bloodstream infections and surgical site

infections.

On the other hand, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

imposes rules that handle personal health development and its effect on modern families (U.S.

Department of Labor, n.d.). It provides for measures that ensure equality among all medical

employees. Also, HIPAA secures national standards for matters involving medical insurance

plans and other like circumstances (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, n.d.).

The Most Beneficial for Meeting Ethical Standards and Confidentiality

 All-in-all, HIPAA is a better accreditation when it comes to ethical standards and

confidentiality.

JCAHO has been criticized for its rules in previously informing its clients before an

inspection. This allows the involved parties to prepare and adjust the possible results of the tests.

Also, HIPAA has a more comprehensive format wherein there is a strict regulation of protected

health information and that the said information must be sent immediately to the head unit within

a limited time. (Berry & Dahl, 2000).

References

Berry, P.H. & Dahl, J.H. (2000). The new JCAHO pain standards: Implications for pain

management nurses. Pain Management Nursing, 1(1): 3-12.

Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Administrative Simplification Overview.

Retrived from https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Administrative-

Simplification/HIPAA-ACA/index.html

The Joint Commission. (n.d.). About our standards. Retrieved from

https://www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/standards.aspx

U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Health plans & benefits: Portability of health coverage.

Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/health-plans/portability