URAC Seeks Public Comment on Proposed New Case Management Standards and Performance Measures

URAC, the industry leader in Case Management accreditation, seeks public comment for revisions to its Case Management Accreditation standards and performance measures, and proposed optional standards for its new Enhanced Transitions of Care Designation. Effective case management puts the patient at the center of all care decisions, and is an essential driver to ensuring that patients get the right care, in the right setting, at the right time.

Aligning with health reform goals and emerging industry best practices, URAC has updated its Case Management Accreditation standards to address the increasing demand for excellence in care coordination. The revised standards:

• Ensure that consumers experience safe and effective transitions of care across settings — an essential part of preventing poor outcomes.
• Emphasize the development of evidence-based, individualized consumer-centric goals that promote quality health care outcomes.
• Require organizations to clearly define their role regarding transitions of care, promoting better coordinated care for consumers.
• Underscore the importance of information support systems to achieve and measure case management performance goals.

“Care coordination, transitions of care, patient engagement and advocacy are core principles for case management. The revisions within the proposed URAC Case Management Standards and Performance Measures support those functions necessary for impactful case management initiatives,” said Cheri Lattimer, executive director of CMSA (Case Management Society of America) and NTOCC (National Transitions of Care Coalition). “I encourage case- and care managers and the many providers of case management services to review and provide comments as we work together to build not only excellence in case- and care management but also best practices.”

In addition to the revised Case Management Accreditation standards and measures, URAC now offers a new Enhanced Transitions of Care Designation comprised of three (3) standards that build upon the foundational transition of care standards already incorporated in the Case Management Accreditation program. This Designation gives credit to those organizations that are offering services to handle the transition of care as it occurs, including the timely transfer of information between parties critical to the transition.

The Case Management Accreditation program performance measures have also been updated, and now include care coordination and readmission measures that reside in the public domain. The updated measures are also included with the standards for public comment, and are considered an essential component of an organization’s quality management program.

“URAC has revised its Case Management program standards to further ensure consumer safety and promote effective transitions of care - an essential component of achieving optimal care outcomes,” said Jane Webster, URACs senior vice president of research, development and planning. “URAC’s Case Management program complements our growing suite of patient-focused care coordination programs, including our Patient Centered Health Care Home Program and Clinically Integrated Network/Accountable Care Organization accreditation program that is now under development.”

During this public comment period, URAC is committed to having the broadest possible input into its standards and measures development process. To review the draft standards and measures and submit comments by 6:00pm EDT, March 11, 2013, go to http://www.urac.org/publiccomment/. For additional information or if you have any questions about URAC’s Case Management Accreditation Standards and Measures, please contact URAC’s Senior Manager, Product Development, Danice DeBerry at 202-216-9010 or ddeberry@urac.org.

About URAC

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, promotes health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system and provides a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, call (202) 326-3943, or visit www.urac.org and our Twitter and LinkedIn sites.