JCI Standard MCI.2 states clearly that “The organization informs patients and families about its care and services and how to access those services.”, thereby a hospital must meet 3 of its requirements to match this standard.

Let us now see what a hospital must do to live up to the expectations and hopes of sick patients and their families when they get to a hospital.

Organisation ethics requires that a hospital offer to inform patients and their families complete information they wish to know on the care and services at the hospital. Patient and families have a right to reasonable access to care as well as how to access those services. Information provided also includes information on the proposed care for a patient.

This openness and trustworthiness shown by a hospital when it works to build and establish trust and open communication with patients and their families, and when it also trys to understand and protect each patient’s cultural, psychosocial and spiritual values, helps create a bond between patients and their families.

Let’s now see how the Joint Commission International quality standards fits into this picture of openness by a hospital.

By providing all the needed information with the openness of the hospital, awareness and knowledge gained and learnt of the care and services through this openness, trust bonded between patients and their families and the hospital, the hospital easily complies with two of the JCI Standard MCI.2 requirements  namely ME 1 and ME 2.

If the hospital includes information on the proposed care for a patient.in its initial plan to inform patients and their families, then the hospital meets the requirement by the JCI Standard ACC.1.2, ME 2

At the hospital, it is only normal when patients and their families learn of the hospital’s capability to match their expectations of care and services.

When patients and their families learn that their needs fall beyond the scope of  the hospital’s competence, mission and capabilities, then the hospital is obligated to provide information to the patient and their families on alternative sources of care and services. Such alternative sources of care and services may be available at another hospital in the district, and the hospital then co-ordinates with the other hospital with the needed services, and ensures that such patients are appropriately referred to the other facility with services that meets their ongoing care needs.

The hospital will thus comply with the JCI Standard MCI.2 requirement ME3 if the hospital is able to provide information to the patients and their families on alternative sources of care and services when their needs fall beyond the scope of  the hospital’s competence, mission and capabilities.

Reference:
Joint Commission International, 2010, Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards For Hospitals, 4th edn, JCI, USA