The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations said last week that it soon will release the results of its fifth annual opinion poll of healthcare executives about JCAHO accreditation services and policies.
Since the JCAHO began polling executives in 1990, the Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based organization has released the findings of each year's survey with less and less fanfare.
A commission spokeswoman last week said the results would be released soon. She made the statement after being asked for the survey data by a reporter.
The JCAHO conducted its first poll in December 1989 and released the results three months later at a press conference. At that time, JCAHO President Dennis O'Leary, M.D., identified hospitals as the JCAHO's customers.
"Our intent (with the poll) is to learn about the issues that are foremost in our customers' minds," he said.
Last year's poll was conducted in October 1992, and the JCAHO issued the results in July, or nine months later, through a press release.
In January, the JCAHO's board defined the organization's "ultimate" customer as patients cared for by accredited healthcare facilities as well as the public at large.
