First who is joint commission and what is there purpose? The joint commission was formed in 1951 as a not-for-profit, private nongovernmental organization by the American College of physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, and later, the American Dental Association, for the purpose of improving the quality of health care provided to the public. The Joint Commission has changed its mission to not only address the quality of patient care, but also patient safety. Many states have established a patient’s bill of rights for hospital and health care institutions. This bill of rights ensures that all patients-inpatients, outpatients, and emergency service patients- are afforded their rights.1
