Within the OpenWater application, the student will enter the name of the Program Director or faculty member that will be providing the Letter of Recommendation. The OpenWater system will then reach out to the Program Director or faculty member and request the Letter of Recommendation. No further action is needed by the student. The student may inform the Program Director or faculty member of their request.

We suggest creating a word document with essay responses prior to entering them in the online application in case of technical difficulties. All questions must be answered in 100 words or less (approximately 500 characters).

1. Describe how accreditation serves to ensure and enhance healthcare quality.
2. What inspired your interest in sustainable healthcare, and how have you demonstrated a commitment to sustainability in your academic, professional, or personal life?
3. Provide an example of a sustainability initiative in healthcare that resulted in measurable cost savings. What were the key factors that contributed to its success?

        -If you have not had direct professional experience, please provide a researched case study in short form.

4. Describe a research project you conducted during your master’s program that relates to healthcare quality and safety, sustainability, and/or process improvement.
        -Optional to include PDF or a link to the research project.
5. What do you hope to gain from the Sustainable Healthcare Fellowship, and how do you plan to contribute to the fellowship community and the broader field of sustainable healthcare?

• Partner with the Global Director of Healthcare Sustainability to advance strategic sustainability goals, including research, stakeholder engagement, and policy development.
• Engage and collaborate with key stakeholders and leaders across The Joint Commission Enterprise on initiatives in healthcare sustainability, resiliency, quality, and patient safety.
• Assist in efforts with The Joint Commission’s Internal Sustainability Task Force.
  -Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration by coordinating meetings and working groups focused on sustainability, quality, and safety.
  -Analyze and synthesize data from sustainability initiatives to identify trends, measure impact, and support data-driven decision-making across departments.
  -Contribute to the development of educational content on sustainable healthcare practices for internal staff and external partners.
• Complete an assigned sustainability project, past projects have included energy efficiency, waste reduction, and resource optimization.
• Support the advancement of domestic and international sustainability certification programs, including external engagement with healthcare organizations.
• Understand the components of The Joint Commission accreditation surveys and certification reviews; observe one accreditation survey and one certification review.
• Understand the components of a CAHME site visit survey and observe one CAHME site visit at a graduate healthcare management program.
• Support the growth and visibility of the CAHME/The Joint Commission Fellowship for Advancing Sustainable Healthcare by contributing to outreach efforts, stakeholder engagement, and program development initiatives.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

• Appear on CAHME and The Joint Commission website and social media.
• Honored at the 2026 CAHME Awards Ceremony at ACHE Congress and receive complimentary registration and travel.
• Featured in joint press release.
• Opportunity to be featured in additional media vehicles, including but not limited to the CAHME Digest, CAHME website, CAHME Master Your Healthcare Career Podcast, LinkedIn, etc.