December 18, 2022

URAC Accreditation: What It Is and Why You Should Care

Discover the benefits of URAC accreditation for your healthcare practice. Learn what it is and how it can improve patient care and boost your reputation.

Healthcare providers (HCPs) should be able to trust that the companies they work with have met the highest standards of healthcare quality and safety. URAC (Utilization Review and Accreditation Commission) accreditation is an important way to make sure that companies meet these standards. URAC is an independent nonprofit organization that uses evidence-based measures and develops standards through overall engagement with a variety of stakeholders who are committed to improving the quality of healthcare. Achieving URAC accreditation is a sign of excellence in healthcare management and provides assurance to HCPs that their partners have met the highest standards of quality and safety. For companies in the process of establishing a new business, URAC accreditation is a must-have credential to gain healthcare provider trust. In this article, we will discuss what URAC accreditation is and why you should care about it.

What Is URAC Accreditation?

URAC accreditation is a program designed to evaluate and certify health care organizations against nationally recognized standards of quality. The program assesses the organization's management practices, customer service processes, privacy policies, and other areas deemed essential for consumer protection. URAC accreditation is the gold standard for health care organizations, as it provides assurance that their services are of the highest quality and meet the industry's most stringent standards. As a result, URAC accreditation is becoming increasingly important for health care organizations looking to gain recognition for their commitment to quality and safety. To receive accreditation and certification, health care organizations must demonstrate that they are continuously committed to quality standards, processes, and procedures. The URAC accreditation process requires an organization to prepare an extensive application that is reviewed by a panel of reviewers. The review panel will assess the organization's compliance with URAC standards through a series of onsite visits, interviews with staff and stakeholders, and a review of documents. After the review process is completed, the review panel will make recommendations regarding whether the organization should be granted URAC accreditation. If approved, organizations will earn the URAC Health Utilization Management (HUM) Seal, which is a mark of distinction awarded to organizations that demonstrate their commitment to having health care quality and HUM accountability.

Why Should You Care?

HCPs should be aware of the importance of URAC accreditation because, by achieving URAC accreditation, HCPs have proven that they are committed to providing healthcare quality and patient safety. URAC accreditation is an independent, third-party review process that evaluates a healthcare organization's performance against nationally recognized standards. With this accreditation, HCPs can also benefit from improved patient outcomes, increased patient satisfaction, and improved customer service. Additionally, it is a signal to patients and other HCPs that the provider is dedicated to providing the best care possible and upholding strict safety protocols. With the ever increasing complexity of healthcare, having a provider with URAC accreditation can provide peace of mind that your care is in safe hands.

What are the Benefits of URAC Accreditation?

URAC accreditation provides a wealth of benefits to organizations looking to demonstrate their commitment to quality healthcare. The following are some of the benefits of URAC accreditation:
  1. With the URAC process evaluating an organizations operation, patient safety and satisfaction, organizations can be certain they are meeting the highest standards in the industry;
  2. Through URAC accreditation, organizations can gain the confidence of other stakeholders in the industry, as well as provide peace of mind to patients that the organization they are receiving care from has been thoroughly evaluated and is of the highest quality;
  3. URAC accreditation can improve overall customer satisfaction, improve patient outcomes and increase customer loyalty; and
  4. Finally, URAC accreditation can help organizations differentiate themselves from their competitors and stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive healthcare market.

What Happens When Healthcare Providers Receive URAC Accreditation?

Receiving URAC accreditation is a major milestone for HCPs looking to improve the quality of their services. This type of accreditation is a seal of approval from an independent, third-party organization that confirms your business has achieved the highest level of quality. By obtaining URAC accreditation, HCPs can demonstrate their commitment to excellence and improve their reputation in the industry. URAC accreditation can also lead to increased customer confidence and improved customer service. Ultimately, obtaining URAC accreditation is an important step for HCPs looking to achieve future success. As a result, URAC accreditation is becoming increasingly important for HCPs looking to be recognized and stay ahead of the competition in an increasingly complex healthcare market.

What Could Happen When Healthcare Providers Do Not Earn URAC Accreditation?

Without URAC accreditation, healthcare providers can face many risks. A lack of accreditation could lead to increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies and legal action, as well as reduced patient trust and decreased provider reimbursement rates. Not being accredited can also mean that the provider will not be able to participate in certain health insurance programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid services, which could lead to further financial losses. Lastly, without URAC accreditation, healthcare providers may find it difficult to be considered for contracts with managed care organizations. In any case, it is essential that healthcare providers always strive to meet the highest standards of quality and safety in order to maintain their accreditations. Moreover, clients, nowadays, have the option to choose companies that are URAC accredited due to the recent rewrite of the URAC accreditation standards. With these new standards, companies have the opportunity to prove their commitment in promoting healthcare quality and patient safety. By choosing a URAC accredited company, clients can be confident that they are making the best decision for their healthcare needs.

DrKumo: One of the First URAC Accredited Telehealth Support Companies

One of the companies which are URAC accredited is DrKumo Inc. DrKumo is proud to have earned URAC full accreditation for Telehealth Support Services 2.0, demonstrating its commitment to quality care, enhanced processes, patient safety, and improved outcomes. With URAC accreditation, DrKumo's clients can differentiate themselves from their competitors and stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive healthcare market.

Takeaways

In conclusion, URAC accreditation is a major milestone for healthcare providers looking to demonstrate their commitment to quality and patient safety. Obtaining URAC accreditation can lead to increased customer confidence and improved customer service. Conversely, without URAC accreditation, healthcare providers can face many risks, including increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies and legal action, as well as reduced patient trust, and decreased provider reimbursement rates. For more information about URAC accreditation or if you want to know more about DrKumo remote patient monitoring technology solutions, contact us now.