Tracers, The Joint Commission's methodology for determining an organization's proficiency with standards, allow surveyors to find performance issues and follow the care experience for patients at an organization undergoing an on-site accreditation survey, according to the Joint Commission.
Three things for ASCs to know about tracers:
1. Individual tracers review experiences for high-risk patients to analyze how the organization provides care.
2. Some tracers used by the Joint Commission are specific to a certain accreditation program and track clinical services and organization-relevant information.
3. System tracers are interactive and monitor a specific process within an organization. Data management, medication management and infection control are three areas evaluated by system tracers.