URAC Announces New Certification Program for International Credentialing Suppo...( First URAC program targeted to he...),Health

First URAC program targeted to health care outsourcing organizations

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today URAC announced a new certification program designed to ensure the quality of international vendors that provide credentialing services for U.S. health care companies. URAC's international Credentialing Support Certification is the organization's first quality designation designed specifically for the growing international market.

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Credentialing is the process health plans, health care networks and other health care provider organizations use to authenticate the education, training and board certification of physicians before they are added to any physician network. Because the process is labor-intensive and timely, a growing number of U.S. companies are outsourcing credentialing needs to international operations that contract for the services.

"URAC's recent focus on the international market is stimulated by the globalization of health care as it affects U.S. companies and consumers," said Alan P. Spielman, URAC's president and CEO. "URAC's Credentialing Support Certification responds to the realities of today's business environment"

To receive the international Credentialing Support Certification, vendors must earn URAC's Core Accreditation as well as a Certificate of Compliance for select credentialing standards in the following categories:
-- Credentialing application;

-- Credentialing confidentiality;

-- Review of credentialing information;

-- Credentialing communication mechanisms;

-- Primary source verification;

-- Consumer safety credentialing investigation;

-- Credentialing timeframe; and

-- Participating providers credentials monitoring.

Vendors based in other countries must also mai
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