The Joint Commission has launched a pilot Web site, WikiHealthCare, as part of an effort to create an open exchange for health care professionals to share information, Modern Healthcare reports.
The commission's goal was to create a site where health care providers, administrators, researchers and other professionals could share ideas and collaborate on issues, according to Jerod Loeb, executive vice president of quality measurements and research for the commission's department of health services research.
The site currently features only two topics, one of which is smoking cessation. The commission will monitor the popularity of the new site through September and report to its executive committee in October to determine the extent of use.
The commission claims the site has more than 1,500 users, but only about 10 users now post to the site, Modern Healthcare reports.
The commission would like practitioners from its accredited organizations to use the site as a forum to provide suggestions and feedback as the commission develops new standards and accreditation rules.
While there already is some involvement by accredited organizations, the site is a way to leverage technology in increasing participation, according to Scott Williams, associate director of quality measurements and research in the Joint Commission's health services research department (DerGurahian, Modern Healthcare, 9/12).