To earn and maintain the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval^TM, an organization must undergo a complete on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years, and a brief in-site survey annually.

• On-site evaluation of standards compliance related to patient care using a "tracer" methodology. Tracer activities look at patient care from admission to discharge including direct care and systems/processes.

• An on-site survey focused on patient safety and quality of care to identify areas of compliance and needed improvement.

• Revision of individual organization performance reports to provide Quality Reports, which include new performance information.

• Active engagement of physicians and other direct caregivers in the new accreditation process.