The Board of Commissioners is the Joint Commission's governing body, providing policy leadership and oversight. The full board meets three times a year. Board members govern the Joint Commission with a dedication to its mission to improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations.
Board members have diverse experience in health care, business and public policy.
The board consists of 28 individuals, including physicians, consumers, medical directors, administrators, nurses, providers, employers, a labor representative, health plan leaders, quality experts, ethicists, a health insurance administrator and educators. Board members have experience in every area of health care delivery the Joint Commission serves, including ambulatory care, behavioral health care, health care networks, home care, hospice, hospitals, laboratories, long term care and assisted living. In addition, advice from experts in these fields is routinely obtained. Commissioners generally serve three-year terms that are renewable. Other board committees and task forces in existence in 2001 include the Board Appeal Review Committee, Human Resources and Compensation Committee, and five Strategic Issues Work Groups on topics such as Patient Safety, Information Dissemination, and the Impact of Accreditation, among others.