The Joint Commission's survey process emphasizes review by means of what methodology?

The Joint Commission's survey process utilizes both system tracers and patient tracers to comprehensively evaluate healthcare organizations. System tracers focus on evaluating how well specific processes and systems operate across various departments and services within an organization. This can include assessing quality measures, safety protocols, and organizational effectiveness.

On the other hand, patient tracers are centered around the patient experience. This methodology tracks specific patients through their care journey within the healthcare facility, allowing surveyors to evaluate how safe and effective care is delivered from the patient's perspective. By examining real patient cases, surveyors can identify strengths and areas for improvement in clinical practices and patient safety measures.

Using both methodologies together provides a holistic view of an organization’s operations and patient care practices, ensuring that quality and performance improvement standards are met comprehensively. This dual approach is vital because it allows for a more in-depth understanding of how systemic practices impact individual patient care. Thus, the combination of system and patient tracers is crucial to the Joint Commission’s evaluation process.