Healthcare Peer Review Track Added; Performance and Reporting Measures Enhanced
URAC, a leading healthcare accreditation and education organization, today announced the open public comment period for its revised Independent Review Organization (IRO) Accreditation, version 5.0, which includes a new accreditation track for Healthcare Peer Review. As part of URAC's commitment to a comprehensive review of its standards, the organization is inviting employers, consumers, purchasers, insurers, providers, and regulators to review the revised accreditation standards, and provide feedback now through April 12, 2010.
"URAC strives to ensure its accreditation programs are meaningful across the health care spectrum," said Doug Metz, DC, Chair of URAC's Health Standards Committee and Executive Vice President and Chief Health Services Officer for American Specialty Health. "That is why the organization added two focus groups earlier this year in the standards development cycle. Listening to industry leaders and health care professionals working in the field, URAC decided to develop two tracks for its IRO Accreditation: one for healthcare peer review and one for independent review organizations."
The new dual accreditation tracks have been developed to help organizations ensure compliance with the processes established by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) regarding the transmission of external review information between health insurers, external review agents and state regulatory bodies.