JCAHO hits a wall with plan on indicators. Hospitals balk at costly and inefficient program to measure clinical outcomes

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is poised at a key point in its history. Decisions that will be made this year by the JCAHO, hospitals, purchasers and the government will determine what role the JCAHO will play under a reformed national healthcare system. This cover story is the first installment of a two-part status report on the JCAHO. The first part examines the development of the JCAHO's clinical indicator monitoring system and its acceptance by hospitals and others, and the ability of the system to improve patient care The second part, to be published in an upcoming issue of Modern Healthcare, will focus on the JCAHO's efforts to position itself for reform.     

Preparing for what's ahead

With healthcare reform on the horizon, healthcare companies and providers are positioning themselves for a new environment in which cost-effective medical treatment is the Holy Grail. Not only will providers be required to measure the efficiency of their treatments, but all parties in the medical-care delivery system will need to share financial risk. In the following pages Modern Healthcare staff members look at how specific industry segments are preparing to face the changes expected during the rest of the 1990s. Industry experts also express their views.