The Joint Commission's annual report summarizes hospital performance across a broad range of metrics that represent evidence-based standards for high-quality care. These accountability measures have been shown to be directly linked to patient outcomes. Since the report's first publication in 2007, data demonstrates that hospitals have measurably improved quality of care for heart attacks, pneumonia, surgical care, children's asthma care, inpatient psychiatric services, venous thromboembolism, and stroke patients. The publication is no longer being produced.