For years, those in the infection prevention and control (IPC) field have been navigating an ever-expanding maze of regulations — many of them well-intentioned, but often overlapping, redundant, or misaligned with the daily realities of healthcare delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic only intensified that pressure, spotlighting both the strengths and the limitations of our systems.
Now, with the Joint Commission's sweeping 2024–2025 overhaul of infection control standards, we finally have a breath of fresh air — and more importantly, a renewed ability to focus on what matters most: protecting patients and healthcare personnel through efficient, meaningful infection prevention.
In a move widely regarded as a "big win," the Joint Commission has reduced the total number of infection control standards across several care settings by up to 73%. This change, long overdue, was praised by industry leaders like Infection Control Consulting Services (ICCS) Founder Phenelle Segal, RN, CIC, FAPIC, who noted that while patient safety must always remain our top priority, overregulation can hinder progress. In her words: "It's a relief for healthcare organizations to see The Joint Commission's process streamlined."
Let's break down what these changes mean and why they matter.
Acute Care & Critical Access Hospitals: From Volume to Value
Starting July 1, 2024, hospitals and critical access hospitals transitioned from 12 infection control standards and 51 Elements of Performance (EPs) to just 4 standards and 14 EPs. The message is clear: it's time to move from paperwork to practice.
Instead of fragmenting requirements across dozens of categories, the new structure consolidates core expectations into four clear areas:
Program Infrastructure and Oversight (IC.04.01.01)
Execution of Core Infection Control Activities (IC.06.01.01)
Organizational Accountability (IC.05.01.01)
High-Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) Preparedness (IC.07.01.01)
What's gone? Redundant documentation, extensive tracking requirements around influenza and vaccine policies, and other check-the-box compliance items that rarely translated to measurable improvements in patient safety.
What remains? Risk-based infection control. Surveillance. Competency. Preparedness for real threats like emerging infectious diseases.
The addition of IC.07.01.01 is particularly vital. It mandates clear plans for the early identification, isolation, and care of patients with high consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) — think Ebola, SARS-CoV-2, mpox, and perhaps H5N1. For infection preventionists still haunted by the PPE shortages and uncertainty that has largely lingered since 2020, this standard is a welcome — and necessary — step forward.
Behavioral Health: Lean, Focused, and Right-Sized
Behavioral health care facilities will experience their own transformation beginning July 1, 2025, with infection control standards dropping from 11 standards and 40 EPs to just 2 standards and 7 EPs. This is a major streamlining effort designed to reflect the unique risk profile and environment of behavioral health settings.
Gone are the mandates for:
Assigning a specific infection prevention leader
Setting annual IPC goals
Logging certain surveillance and policy decisions now covered under broader leadership responsibilities
Instead, facilities must:
Maintain written IPC policies
Conduct annual risk assessments
Implement core IPC activities
Develop and act on infection prevention plans based on actual risk
With fewer regulatory hoops to jump through, behavioral health centers can focus on education, hygiene practices, and environmental strategies that truly matter — especially in environments where physical space, mental health needs, and patient behaviors introduce unique IPC challenges.
Nursing Care Centers: Realigned and Modernized
Nursing care centers saw changes that took effect Jan. 1, 2025, as the IC chapter was rewritten to align more closely with CMS Conditions of Participation and CDC Core Practices. While some essential elements remain — such as program structure and surveillance — the rewrite eliminated EPs that were already covered in other domains, like emergency management or environmental safety.
Notably, a new standard (IC.06.01.03) specifically addresses vaccine-preventable disease transmission among both residents and staff. This is a welcome addition, considering the vulnerability of long-term care populations to influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory pathogens.
Additionally, a powerful step forward comes in the form of antibiotic stewardship. The Joint Commission is implementing Medication Management standard MM.09.01.01, requiring nursing care centers to establish comprehensive stewardship programs — an increasingly urgent need in light of rising antibiotic resistance.
A More Sustainable Path Forward
The broader significance of these changes can't be overstated. For decades, the infection prevention field has pushed to be heard — fighting for resources, time, and institutional buy-in. We've done this while juggling an ever-growing pile of paperwork, policies, and compliance tasks that often added burden without benefit.
Now, with this streamlined model, we have a stronger opportunity to:
Advocate for real-time education and competency
Improve high-risk area preparedness
Make infection prevention visible and actionable at the leadership level
Focus on what keeps patients — and staff — safe
To be clear, this isn't a free pass to scale back vigilance. If anything, it puts the responsibility squarely on us to do more with less — but in a way that's smart, strategic, and sustainable.
Let's not lose momentum. Let's use this simplification as an opportunity to reinforce best practices, drive meaningful change, and prepare for the next infectious threat — whatever form it takes.
Because as we've all learned, it's not a matter of if, but when.
If your organization is accredited by The Joint Commission and seeking assistance with survey preparation or developing a plan of correction, contact ICCS to schedule your consultation.