Joint Commission white paper outlines ‘hospital of the future’

A panel of hospital executives and clinical leaders convened by the Joint Commission has come up with a series of recommendations to improve quality within five core areas of hospital development (Source: “Joint Commission outlines ‘hospital of the future,’” Modern Healthcare, Nov. 20, 2008).

The recommendations have been gathered in a white paper called Health Care at the Crossroads: Guiding Principles for the Development of the Hospital of the Future.

The steps recommended in the white paper include aligning performance and payment systems for quality and efficiency; incorporating information technology into business plans and strategies; adopting patient-centered care values as a priority; establishing skills and knowledge training programs for staff; and adding safety measures to hospital design and construction plans.