Which organization accredits hospitals in the United States?

• A. The Joint Commission (TJC)
• B. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• C. American Medical Association
• D. American Hospital Association

Answer: (A)

Accreditation of hospitals in the United States is performed by a non-governmental accrediting organization that conducts formal on-site surveys to verify compliance with standards focused on patient safety and quality of care. The Joint Commission is the primary and most widely recognized body in this role, providing accreditation that signals a hospital meets rigorous performance benchmarks and often enabling Medicare and Medicaid participation through deemed status recognized by CMS.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is a federal agency that administers Medicare and Medicaid and sets conditions of participation for hospitals; it does not generally perform broad hospital accreditation itself, though it recognizes certain accrediting bodies (like The Joint Commission) to grant deemed status. The American Medical Association is a professional organization for physicians, while the American Hospital Association is a national trade association for hospitals, not an accrediting organization.

So, the organization that accredits hospitals in the United States is The Joint Commission.