Joint Commission, Urgent Care Association of America form alliance

The Joint Commission and the Urgent Care Association of America have partnered to provide quality oversight for urgent care clinics in the United States.

The collaboration will include development of quality standards specific to urgent care, targeted for introduction in 2010.

Both organizations currently provide accreditation for urgent care clinics, but in the new alliance the association will discontinue its accreditation program and focus its support on services available under the Joint Commission’s ambulatory care accreditation program.

“Joint Commission accreditation encompasses an on-site evaluation of an urgent care center’s compliance with rigorous national standards,” said Charles A. Mowll, executive vice president, the Joint Commission. “Achieving Joint Commission accreditation helps the urgent care center improve and provide the public with a marker of quality.”

The Urgent Care Association serves on an international scope, joining together the more than 8,000 urgent care centers in the United States and additional international centers, including centers in Ireland and Jerusalem.

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