joint commission international (jci) was established in 1998 as a division of joint commission resources, inc. (jcr), a not-for-profit, private affiliate of the joint commission. through international accreditation, consultation, publications, and education programs, jci extends the joint commission's mission worldwide by helping to improve the quality of patient care; assisting international health care organizations, public health agencies, health ministries, and others in evaluating, improving, and demonstrating the quality of patient care; and enhancing patient safety in more than 60 countries. international hospitals may seek accreditation to demonstrate quality, and jci accreditation may be considered a seal of approval by medical travelers from the u.s.