Most readers are familiar with the need for standards to establish basic levels of comparison, quality, and compatibility between similar products or services. Standards in the manufacturing world are established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Its standards are a way for OEMs to evaluate a company's product against others in the same market. The voluntary adoption of these standards provides a company with many benefits, including an increase in customer inquires which lead to contracts, and a commitment to quality and efficiency.

The medical industry has standards they strive to maintain for the same reason. US News & World Report publishes a ranking of Best Hospitals each year. These rankings are used by individuals seeking the best specialized care and businesses insuring these hospitals are included in the healthcare benefits provided their employees. The rankings are based on service and other measures. To reach and maintain a level of service that gets them into the top 50 or so, an institution must have measurable standards in place.

These standards affect all levels of a healthcare business. Standards for the facility, department (medical records, pharmacy, respiratory), and even staffing, are established and monitored by regulatory bodies on national, state, and local levels. Standards established by these regulatory agencies let both individuals and companies compare various healthcare agencies and the quality of their service and product.

Many organizations establish medical standards. One in particular, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1951. It has been setting healthcare standards longer than any one else. JCAHO (jcaho.org) is the standards-setting body for primary care institutions in the U.S. The Joint Commission International or JCI (the international arm of JCAHO), is the standard to be met in global healthcare. More than 70 hospitals outside the United States have been accredited by JCI.

Though not an accreditation, JCAHO offers certification to ancillary supporting agencies — those that supply healthcare staffing, for example. Certification provides the healthcare industry with a way to identify agencies that adhere to certain standards as a measure of quality in the services they provide, sort of like a quality referral service.

Healthcare institutions are not required to comply with JCAHO. However, not having accreditation can be financially troublesome. Healthcare providers cannot ignore community-based initiative groups that demand accountability of healthcare quality, patient safety, pricing, and availability for the same reasons mentioned. One such organization, The Leapfrog Group (www.leapfrog group.org) established guidelines that compare healthcare facilities based on several measurements. Results can be instrumental in drawing business to facilities from individuals seeking the best treatment and companies seeking the best ‘bang for their buck’ in healthcare payments.

In addition to institutional-wide standards, various departments within a healthcare facility have standards, set by their respective states and professional organizations. These organizations set standards and conduct their own surveys while others do not conduct surveys but provide input for the Accreditation Manual for Hospitals published and used by JCAHO surveyors.

Even medical libraries have standards that indicate the education and professional qualifications of staff, types of journals, databases, and documents that should be available to the staff. These standards are reviewed during a Joint Commission survey using standards recommended by the Medical Library Association. Other departments, such as respiratory care and clinical engineering, have additional standards set by their professional organizations.

While medical facilities, healthcare agencies, suppliers, and the departments within each facility must adhere to standards in their operations, their staff is also required to meet certain professional standards, of licensure, practice and professionalism. Agencies that employ specific professional disciplines must insure these employees meet licensing and certification standards established by recognized professional organizations.