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.”
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