The Joint Commission has developed a new Health Care Equity (HCE) Certification program that will be available July 1, 2023. This advanced certification program will recognize accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals that strive for excellence in their efforts to provide equitable care, treatment, and services.
The HCE Certification also will be available for non-Joint Commission-accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals that comply with applicable federal laws, including U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation (CoPs).
The new certification requirements emphasize the structures and processes that health care organizations need to decrease health care disparities in their patient populations; promote diversity, equity, and inclusion for their staff; and address the following topics:
- Leadership
- Collaboration
- Data collection
- Provision of care
- Performance improvement
Additionally, to help organizations pursuing the new certification, The Joint Commission has launched the HCE Certification Resource Center to provide practical strategies for meeting the program’s standards and elements of performance (EPs).
