Software Development Intern

Joint Commission president and CEO announces retirement. The organization's president and CEO will retire at the end of 2026, with its current chief operating officer appointed to take over the role in January. Jonathan B Perlin, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Joint Commission, will retire from his post on Dec 31, 2026, after serving as the organization's seventh president and CEO in its 75-year history. Joint Commission's board of commissioners has named James I Merlino, MD, the organization's current chief operating officer, as Perlin's successor, effective Jan 1, 2027. Following his retirement as chief executive, Perlin will remain with the organization as a strategic advisor and president emeritus to assist with the leadership transition and maintain domestic and international relationships. "Jon's legacy is one of service, trust, and commitment," says Michael Suk, MD, chairman of Joint Commission board of commissioners, in a release. "His absolute dedication to supporting the noble work of our nation's healthcare systems in elevating safety and quality - from the smallest rural hospital to the largest, most complex urban health system - is his life's work. It's been inspiring to see the impact he has made through his leadership of Joint Commission." Modernizing accreditation and safety standards. During his five-year tenure, Perlin led the most extensive updates to healthcare accreditation since the creation of Medicare in 1965, according to a press release from Joint Commission. His initiatives centered on reducing regulatory burden on healthcare systems, removing obsolete standards, and shifting evaluations toward data-driven performance support. Perlin also expanded the organization's global reach by launching the Patient Safety Pathways Program, which assists 30 low- and middle-income nations in addressing core safety challenges. Domestically, his work shifted Joint Commission's role from compliance enforcement to acting as an improvement guide and collaborative partner for hospitals and health systems. "It's been an extraordinary privilege to serve the mission of advancing healthcare safety as organizations are navigating what is undeniably the most complex, formidable landscape in history," says Perlin in a release. "Jim Merlino holds the same commitment, the same passion for our mission and for supporting the best possible care for patients, which is why he is the perfect choice to take the lead of this exceptional organization. Jim leads with a sharp focus on operating efficiency, improvement, and innovation, combined with empathy and dedication to colleagues both in Joint Commission and across healthcare." Before joining Joint Commission, Perlin served as president of clinical operations and chief medical officer at HCA Healthcare, where his teams earned national recognition for improvements in sepsis survival, reductions in maternal mortality, and infection prevention partnerships during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also previously served as under secretary for health in the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Merlino's background and operational focus. Merlino steps into the CEO role bringing three decades of executive healthcare experience across operations, patient experience, and safety strategy. Prior to his appointment at Joint Commission, Merlino served as chief clinical transformation officer and chief experience officer at Cleveland Clinic, where he directed enterprise safety, quality, patient experience, and business development initiatives. He also served as chief transformation officer at Press Ganey, where he built the company's consulting and advisory services and developed an integrated governance framework linking safety, clinical quality, and patient experience. "The board chose Jim because of his focus on the patient and his international reputation," says Eric Langshur, vice-chairman of Joint Commission board of commissioners, in a release. "He has a proven operational track record, and an ability to identify opportunities and quickly build and innovate. Jim also possesses an international lens and perspective in terms of growing our ability to support healthcare organizations across the world." Merlino and Perlin previously collaborated to redesign Joint Commission's executive leadership team, selecting clinical and operational leaders to accelerate quality and safety improvements across accredited institutions. "Jon is a long-time colleague and friend. He has charted a course for Joint Commission that has revolutionized the way we look at safety and quality in our healthcare systems," says Merlino in a release. "I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to meaningfully carry forward that plan, while simultaneously advancing the next chapter of innovation and strategic improvement for Joint Commission and the healthcare organizations with whom we work. We are at a critical moment in healthcare. Healthcare quality and patient safety have never been more important. Safe, high-quality, patient-centered care should not be a burden. It is our responsibility."

Joint Commission president and CEO Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, to retire, james I. Merlino, MD appointed as successor, effective January 1. September 23, 2026 10:00 ET | Source: Joint Commission OAKBROOK TERRACE, Illinois, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Following a distinguished career dedicated to supporting healthcare quality and safe patient care, Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Joint Commission, today announced his plans to retire from his role December 31, 2026. Dr. Perlin has served as Joint Commission's seventh president and CEO in the organization's 75-year history. Joint Commission's Board of Commissioners has announced the appointment of Dr. James I. Merlino, currently serving as Joint Commission's chief operating officer, to the role of president and CEO, effective January 1, 2027. "Jon's legacy is one of service, trust, and commitment," said Michael Suk, MD, chairman of Joint Commission Board of Commissioners. "His absolute dedication to supporting the noble work of our nation's healthcare systems in elevating safety and quality - from the smallest rural hospital to the largest, most complex urban health system - is his life's work. It's been inspiring to see the impact he has made through his leadership of Joint Commission." Dr. Perlin's tenure has seen the most extensive transformation of accreditation since Medicare was established in 1965. Accomplishments include burden reduction, elimination of obsolete standards, and a focus on data-driven performance support and evaluation. Internationally, Dr. Perlin introduced the Patient Safety Pathways Program to help 30 low and middle-income countries address prevalent safety issues. The leadership team he has assembled is notable for deep clinical and operational experience. "It's been an extraordinary privilege to serve the mission of advancing healthcare safety as organizations are navigating what is undeniably the most complex, formidable landscape in history," said Dr. Perlin. "I've dedicated my life to improving quality and safety for patients, and it's been my absolute honor to work alongside so many who share the same mission. Jim Merlino holds the same commitment, the same passion for our mission and for supporting the best possible care for patients - which is why he is the perfect choice to take the lead of this exceptional organization. Jim leads with a sharp focus on operating efficiency, improvement, and innovation, combined with empathy and dedication to colleagues both in Joint Commission and across healthcare." The Board has asked Dr. Perlin to serve as a strategic advisor and hold the title of president emeritus, effective January 1, 2027. In that capacity, he will support a smooth transition and continuing high level domestic and international relationships. Dr. Merlino Elevated to CEO Dr. Merlino is an internationally recognized, mission-driven, visionary leader who brings three decades of executive healthcare experience and a proven track record of driving large-scale institutional transformation across global healthcare enterprises. Impacted by his personal experiences, he has a deeply patient-centered approach that balances the fundamental mission of healthcare, including the delivery of safe, high-quality care for people, with a keen focus on business outcomes. Prior to Joint Commission, Dr. Merlino held roles at Cleveland Clinic, most recently as chief clinical transformation officer, where he was responsible for building and managing a high performing team, defining enterprise safety, quality, patient experience and strategy, and shepherding business development. In his previous role as chief experience officer, Dr. Merlino led the transformation of Cleveland Clinic's culture and pioneered the emergence of patient experience as part of the Clinic's global brand. Dr. Merlino also previously served as chief transformation officer of Press Ganey where he developed the organization's consulting services division and later evolved that offering to include advisory services as a broader, more holistic transformational support model. While at Press Ganey, Dr. Merlino also pioneered an integrated framework for safety, quality and patient experience governance, and led strategy sessions with top healthcare organizations across the United States. "The Board chose Jim because of his focus on the patient and his international reputation. He has a proven operational track record, and an ability to identify opportunities and quickly build and innovate. Jim also possesses an international lens and perspective in terms of growing our ability to support healthcare organizations across the world," said Eric Langshur, vice-chairman of Joint Commission's Board of Commissioners. "The Board believes in Joint Commission's strategy and is confident this positive trajectory will only accelerate under Jim, who brings the leadership capabilities and business acumen we need to further advance the organization's transformation. He has the qualities and experience to navigate an increasingly challenging healthcare environment." "Jon is a long-time colleague and friend. He has charted a course for Joint Commission that has revolutionized the way we look at safety and quality in our healthcare systems," said Dr. Merlino. "I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to meaningfully carry forward that plan, while simultaneously advancing the next chapter of innovation and strategic improvement for Joint Commission and the healthcare organizations with whom we work. We are at a critical moment in healthcare. Healthcare quality and patient safety have never been more important. Safe, high-quality, patient-centered care should not be a burden. It is our responsibility. I am optimistic for the future and look forward to working with our healthcare organizations around the world to ensure that vision is realized." Dr. Perlin's Legacy During his tenure at Joint Commission, Dr. Perlin modernized the enterprise through innovation, shifting accreditation from gap identification to best-practice enablement, and leading with an unwavering commitment to burden reduction for an over-taxed healthcare system. Under Dr. Perlin's stewardship, Joint Commission reestablished its reputation as a guide, enabling improvement, rather than just a guard, affirming compliance. He redirected the organization's emphasis from identifying missteps and risks to cultivating a learning community and strengthening best-practices. Over the five years of his leadership, Joint Commission fundamentally evolved its relationship with healthcare organizations, from overseer to trusted partner. Together with Dr. Merlino, Dr. Perlin built the strategy and recast the entire Joint Commission leadership team. The two leaders personally selected a team of clinical and operational experts, chosen for their expertise and frontline credibility, and aligned on a shared vision to modernize accreditation and accelerate impact on quality and safety. Prior to Joint Commission, Dr. Perlin served as president, clinical operations and chief medical officer for HCA Healthcare where he led teams of clinicians, data scientists and researchers, achieving national recognition for their work in reducing maternal mortality, increasing sepsis survival, and development of private-academic partnerships for improving infection prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Before HCA, Dr. Perlin was Under Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. About Joint Commission Joint Commission enables and affirms the highest standards of healthcare quality and patient safety for all. Founded in 1951, it is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare, evaluating more than 23,000 healthcare organizations and programs across the United States. As an independent, nonprofit organization, Joint Commission inspires healthcare organizations across all settings to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.

Why Healthcare AI needs Governance and security. Table of contents. Healthcare is at the forefront of other industries when it comes to its adoption of artificial intelligence, with organizations of all shapes and sizes using AI to transform clinical care, improve administrative workflows and advance research. But there are still growing pains, and some significant imperatives around healthcare AI governance security need addressing, according to leaders from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Coalition for Healthcare AI. The core challenge behind Healthcare AI governance security. As the front end of the AI adoption curve relies heavily on vendor assessments to screen for clinical safety, data integrity and model validation before AI is integrated into clinical workflows, ongoing AI monitoring and continued navigation of emerging legal and regulatory uncertainties are needed to safeguard patients and data. A central question for the industry. "As healthcare moves from experimenting with AI to deploying it at scale, who will define what trustworthy actually means? And how do organizations put that into practice?" Baxter Lee, president of cybersecurity firm Clearwater, asked during a recent webinar featuring Brendan Hill, CHAI's head of operations and general counsel, and Julie Chu, NIST's applied cybersecurity vision director. A year of optimism around Healthcare AI governance security. "I find it interesting that healthcare, at least from my perspective, is one of the industries that's kind of leading AI adoption right now," said Hill, who was previously the regulatory strategy and compliance manager at Mayo Clinic Platform and a member of its Software as a Medical Device Review Board. Healthcare is also cognizant and applying lessons learned, according to Chu, who previously directed the Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance Division within HHS's Office for Information Security. "There is a lot of leaning in, in terms of being on top of the governance piece," she said. Defining organizational trustworthiness. Chu said organizations are asking, "How do we define our trustworthiness within our organizations? How do we look at that metric or that measure for what we think as an organization should be trustworthy or should be ethical or should be all the other AI risk management framework characteristics for what trustworthy AI is?" Starting with AI amid growing tool portfolios. Anecdotal evidence indicates that some health systems are considering between 200 and 500 AI tools in their queues, Hill said. Both the Joint Commission and CHAI have put together playbooks to help healthcare organizations manage the challenges those investments bring. The Joint Commission recently released governance playbooks as part of its voluntary AI responsibility certification program, and CHAI launched its national PULSE initiative this month to engage public health practitioners in co-developing and piloting five key generative AI use cases. The hardest part: AI monitoring. The goals of CHAI's playbooks are to "position organizations to think critically," Hill said, focusing on control methodologies to help organizations understand the entire AI lifecycle. But one of the hardest parts for organizations to implement is AI monitoring, largely due to how fast the technology is moving. "There are no clearly defined metrics for what we should monitor," Hill said. "Science hasn't quite caught up with where people are adopting and what people are doing. There's still very much a 'black box' sense to AI, even though we have more in-depth understanding about it." Training and ROI challenges within Healthcare AI governance security. Training, which also affects AI uptake within organizations, is a second key challenge, Hill said. "I think one of the more emerging issues that organizations are starting to struggle with is the training and education component," he said. "How do you train a staff member to use AI responsibly?" A third key hurdle is scaling the use of AI so that it brings a return on investment. "Not many organizations, if any, have been able to tackle that yet," Hill said. "But I think there's going to be a lot of thought that's put into that in the coming years." Establishing risk-based tiers. Healthcare leaders must treat AI vendors as a supply chain issue, contractually requiring third-party vendors to notify the organization before baking AI into existing tools as organizations build auditable trails to justify their AI governance choices in the event of an incident, Hill said. Smart governance accelerates adoption by categorizing AI into low, medium and high-risk tiers. "Start with the low-hanging fruit," he said. When low-risk applications move quickly through streamlined checks, high-risk tools can undergo intensive reviews. Why governance speeds rather than slows adoption. "The reason why governance does the opposite of slowing [AI] down is you're getting the right people with the right expertise solving the right problem along the governance chain," Hill said. "An enterprise governance mechanism should own AI as a leadership team," Chu added. Organizations succeeding at this take a risk-based approach where each level of risk requires a specific level of governance to be applied, rather than getting bogged down in details for everything. Vendor vetting for clinical safety. After studying more than 800 intake questions from 15 different institutions, Hill said clinical safety and efficacy are the chief concerns, so vendor assessments must evaluate tools for fairness and nondiscrimination. Considering how an ambient scribe might work across clinical practices, for example, requires examining legal and regulatory compliance, security and access controls, workflow integration, and data integrity with demonstrable data lineage. CHAI has worked to bring its intake questionnaire down to about 60 questions it plans to release in the coming months. How changing cybersecurity frameworks support Healthcare AI governance security. Chu, who co-led the development of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015 Section 405, said NIST is looking at AI from a cybersecurity perspective: "How is AI changing the guidance, the guidelines, frameworks, standards that we have today in terms of cybersecurity and privacy?" Governance and enterprise risk management go "hand in hand," she said. The NIST AI Risk Management Framework, which is undergoing updates with a public comment period expected to open later this year, includes a set of trustworthy characteristics that are AI-specific and can be integrated with any organization's existing governance structure. Additional NIST resources. Chu recommended other NIST-based resources, including NIST's Small Business Program, Quick Start Guides on cybersecurity, enterprise risk management and workforce management, and the Cyber AI Profile. "We use the NIST AI RMF to inform a lot of our frameworks, as well," Hill added. Shifting to product-centric AI within Healthcare AI governance security. Organizations are moving away from top-down, centralized AI committees toward product managers who directly own specific use cases and act as points of contact between clinical staff and vendors, enabling operational and contractual guardrails and empowering health systems to negotiate critical protections into contracts, such as the right to pre-approve model updates, tie payments to performance benchmarks, or disable unverified features. Why cross-collaboration strengthens contracts. Cross-collaboration with business users will ultimately lead to stronger contracts, Hill said. "The lawyer is not going to have the subject matter expertise to say, 'We should have a number of different things in a contract to protect our organization,' because they just don't understand the nuances of how it's going to be used in the workflow," he said. Why elevating risk is a sign of good governance, not failure. "It is very important that people realize, when you elevate a risk, it's not failure," Chu said. "It means you're managing and you have a good governance process, method, approach. That's why a risk is elevated, or that's why it's become much more important or the priority has changed." Both leaders acknowledged the difficulty of the work. "It is not easy to do governance well," Chu said. "It is hard work," Hill agreed. "It is a process, and dedication is needed when pulling these together," Chu added. What this means for health systems building their own AI governance. As health systems continue expanding their AI tool portfolios into the hundreds, this discussion around healthcare AI governance security underscores that successful governance isn't about slowing adoption, but about routing decisions to the right people with the right expertise at each risk tier. Organizations still struggling with monitoring metrics, staff training, and ROI measurement may find CHAI's forthcoming 60-question vendor intake framework and NIST's updated AI Risk Management Framework useful starting points as they build out their own structures. What to watch going forward. With NIST's AI RMF update expected to open for public comment later this year, and CHAI planning to release its refined vendor intake questionnaire in the coming months, health systems building or refining their governance frameworks should watch for how these evolving standards shape best practices industrywide. Given how quickly the underlying technology continues to change, both Hill and Chu's emphasis on treating governance as an ongoing process, rather than a one-time policy exercise, suggests organizations should expect their healthcare AI governance security frameworks to require continuous revision rather than a single definitive setup.