Joint Commission
a national, private, nonprofit organization, founded in 1951, whose purpose is to encourage the attainment of uniformly high standards of institutional medical care. Formerly known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), it changed to its present name in 2007. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits hospitals and health care organizations that provide managed care (including HMOs, PPOs, and integrated delivery systems), home care, long-term care, behavioral health care, laboratory services, and ambulatory care services.