Joint Commission’s Dr. Perlin honored with American Hospital Association’s Distinguished Service Award
Prestigious award recognizes significant lifetime contributions to healthcare industry
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Illinois, April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Joint Commission is honored to announce that its President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, has received one of healthcare’s highest honors: the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Distinguished Service Award.
The prestigious award recognizes a leader whose lifetime achievements have provided national leadership in healthcare delivery and service, especially regarding the welfare of patients and the community, healthcare delivery practices and structure, and organizations in the healthcare field.
Dr. Perlin’s esteemed career has spanned decades of service across the public, private and non-profit domains of healthcare. He has spent the last four years at Joint Commission, where he has led the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting organization through its most significant transformation since 1965 — modernizing the mission and building an agile, innovative enterprise to meet the needs of the United States’ complex healthcare system. Under his guidance, Joint Commission has eliminated more than 1,000 accreditation requirements for hospitals that no longer added value, radically increased the transparency of the standards and survey process, and driven the organization to pursue improvements in patient outcomes over processes.
He’s also moving the quality needle forward through Joint Commission’s affiliate organizations:
- Joint Commission International introduced its Patient Safety Pathways program in 2025, bringing healthcare quality and safety frameworks to more than 20 lower- and middle-income countries to ensure that community engagement is at the heart of patient care.
- National Quality Forum (NQF) and Joint Commission are modernizing the measurement landscape through new Outcomes-Driven Certifications for perinatal and cardiac care, two high-priority clinical areas where improved outcomes can have a profound impact on patients, families, and communities. The organizations are also streamlining patient safety event reporting through one aligned safety event framework — reducing measurement burden for healthcare organizations to help them focus on what matters most: patients.
“I’m deeply honored and humbled by this recognition from the American Hospital Association,” said Dr. Perlin. “Throughout my career, my passion has been grounded in a simple purpose: helping ensure every patient receives the safest, highest-quality care possible. That work is never done alone — it is driven by the clinicians, caregivers and healthcare teams who show up every day with skill, compassion and resolve. I share this honor with them, with those carrying forward Joint Commission’s mission to ensure all patient receive safe, high-quality care, and with all those committed to strengthening care for the communities we serve.”
Dr. Perlin had the distinction of service as the AHA’s Board Chair for the 2015 term, where he helped hospitals and health systems navigate rapid shifts in payment and care delivery while facing intensifying regulatory scrutiny and financial strain. In this role, he consistently pushed to connect quality improvement with affordability and access, underscoring hospitals’ roles as community anchors and partners in population health — while keeping patient care at the center of the work.
“A steady and trusted voice throughout his distinguished career as a leader on quality at the Department of Veterans Affairs, at a large health system, and now at Joint Commission, Jon has worked collaboratively with providers, policymakers, and stakeholders to drive improvements in care,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “His work has been especially influential in advancing patient quality, clinical effectiveness and community health.”
Prior to Joint Commission, Dr. Perlin was President, Clinical Operations, and Chief Medical Officer, HCA Healthcare, where he led clinicians, data scientists and researchers in developing a learning health system model for improving care at the system’s 189 hospitals and 2,200 other locations. As Under Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Dr. Perlin led the Veterans Health Administration to national prominence for full implementation of a national electronic health record and benchmark clinical performance.
Dr. Perlin continues to pass his experience on to the next generation of healthcare professionals and leaders through faculty positions at Vanderbilt University and Virginia Commonwealth University, as well as through board service at several universities.
“Over the last decade, I have seen how Jon has devoted his career to strengthening healthcare for patients, caregivers and communities. This well-deserved recognition is a testament to the impact of his service on our industry,” said Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, MBA, FACS, chair of Joint Commission’s Board of Commissioners, a practicing board-certified orthopedic surgeon, and Immediate Past Chair, Board of Trustees, American Medical Association. “Under his guidance, Joint Commission has a clear vision for how our work is helping transform the healthcare industry — pushing for better patient outcomes, spotlighting innovation and reducing burden for the healthcare teams delivering care under extraordinary pressure.”
“Jon’s career reflects the kind of leadership healthcare needs now: relentlessly focused on patient safety and outcomes, and flexible in the face of challenges and change,” said Eric Langshur, vice chair of Joint Commission’s Board of Commissioners and founder and managing director of Abundant Venture Partners. “We are grateful for his vision and commitment to improving healthcare for patients, caregivers, and communities everywhere. His example inspires leaders at all levels to pursue excellence, embrace change, and always keep the well-being of those we serve at the forefront of our mission.”
Dr. Perlin will receive the award at the AHA’s Annual Membership Meeting on April 20.
###
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.
Learn more at www.jointcommission.org.
Hannah Miller Joint Commission 630-792-5174 press@jointcommission.org
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
