URAC Invites Health Management Industry, Public for Comments on Changes to Its Core Accreditation...( Changes in standards support Depa...),Health

Changes in standards support Department of Health and Human Services' "Four Cornerstones" for health care improvement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today URAC called for comments on major revisions to its Core Accreditation standards. The Core standards are the foundation of URAC accreditation, addressing key organizational functions within health care organization such as staff qualifications, oversight of delegated activities, quality management and consumer protection.

(LOGO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030501/URACLOGO)

URAC is seeking input from any interested parties, including purchasers, policy makers, consumers, health care management organizations and health plans. The deadline for public comment is April 14, 2008.

URAC's Health Standards Committee reviewed and revised the standards now open for public comment. Changes to Core Version 2.1 accreditation standards include assigning weights to each standard element according to refined weight categories, a reorganization of the standards designed to clarify which standards apply to various types of applicants, and a focus on protecting and empowering the consumer through a new standard emphasizing health care literacy.

New policy concepts are introduced in the Core standards to address key issues in health care including two of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services "Four Cornerstones" for health care improvement. Quality standards require the use of national quality measures, where they exist, as benchmarks for their quality improvement projects. Interoperable health information technology is introduced as well to promote greater efficiency in the health care system.

"The Core Standards define key and foundational principles upon which a quality system is based," said Douglas Metz, DC, chairman of URAC's Health Standards Committee a
'/>"/>