The Joint Commission is an organization made up of individuals from the private medical sector to develop and maintain standards of quality in medical facilities in the United States.  The Commission has no official connection to United States government regulatory agencies, and has no legal enforcement power.  However, since many medical facilities rely on The Commission accreditation procedures to indicate to the public that their particular institution meets quality standards The Commission and its policies have taken on significance importance in the medical field, despite the lack of official government sanction.

The Commission publishes a large body of literature designed to improve the quality of health services, and which can aid in the accreditation process for a health care facility.  Although it is not necessary for any given health care organization to apply for or complete the accreditation process, to do business in the United States or elsewhere, the successful completion of the accreditation process gives the impression to the public that a facility has successfully implemented guaranteed quality control standards.  A facility which has completed The Commission accreditation process can then include The Joint Commission logo and accreditation information in their company literature.

The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission 

Founded in 1966, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) is an independent, not-for-profit accrediting body promoting quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons receiving services.

CARF establishes customer-focused standards to help providers measure and improve the quality, value, and outcomes of their services. CARF has accredited more than 3,500 organizations in the United States, Canada, and Sweden in the areas of Aging Services, Behavioral Health, Child & Youth Services, Employment and Community Services, and Medical Rehabilitation. CARF develops and maintains practical and relevant standards of quality for such programs.

The standards are developed by the field (which consists of the persons receiving services, rehabilitation professionals, and purchasers of services) and are applied through a peer review process to determine how well an organization is serving its consumers. Every year the standards are reviewed and new ones are developed to keep pace with changing conditions and current consumer needs.