Why Accreditation? Why Not?
Who could have ever imagined how much power
the word “accreditation” wields in the health
care industry? To some, it means “quality.”
To others, it means “ethical.” And, for more,
accreditation translates into “worthy of my business.”
For many organizations, accreditation is a
must-have proposition to do business with them. While others
may not make accreditation a requirement, they insist on
operational audits, a proposition that can cost time and
money…your time and your money.
Currently, specialty health organizations have limited accreditation
options available. Limited, but not nonexistent.
In cooperation with the most-recognized accreditation organizations
in the nation, NASHO researched the options available to
SHOs and for the industry as a whole.
Established in 1990, NCQA (National Committee for Quality
Assurance) is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated
to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits
and certifies a wide range of health care organizations
and recognizes physicians who provide high-quality care.
The organization generates useful, understandable information
about health care quality to help consumers and employers
make informed health care decisions and to help physicians,
health plans and others enhance the quality of patient
care.
The organization oversees the evolution of
the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS®),
the tool used by the health care industry to measure health
plan performance. NCQA’s health plan accreditation
programs are recognized as the most rigorous and meaningful
in the industry. NCQA has been a leader in provider-level
measurement through its Physician Recognition Programs,
which are used in many of the nation’s largest pay-for-performance
initiatives.
An NCQA accreditation is evidence that an organization’s
practices meet some of the highest standards in the health
care industry. In addition, the designation streamlines
the due diligence that state agencies and/or contracting health plans
must undertake when reviewing an SHO.
For more information, visit www.NCQA.org.
NCQA Programs Relating to Specialty
Health Organizations
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization,
is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality
through its accreditation and certification programs. URAC
offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services
that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care industry,
and provide 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.
A URAC accreditation adds value by providing an external seal
of approval and by promoting quality improvement within the
organization as part of the accreditation process.
For more information, visit www.URAC.org.
URAC Programs Relating to Specialty Health Organizations
(Download coming soon)
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory
Health Care (AAAHC/Accreditation Association) is the leader
in the accreditation of ambulatory health care organizations,
with more than 2,300 accredited organizations. A private, non-profit
entity it is an advocate for the provision of high quality
health care over a 25-year history.
The Accreditation Association is focused in
its approach, providing quality accreditation programs exclusively
for the ambulatory community. Standards are designed and
surveys conducted by experienced ambulatory professionals,
allowing for a peer-based collaborative and consultative
approach that is specific to the needs of ambulatory organizations,
making the process a welcome educational experience. It
is the mission of the Accreditation Association to promote
patient safety, quality of care and measurement of performance.
An AAAHC Certificate of Accreditation demonstrates
an organization’s commitment to providing quality
health care with third party payers, insurance companies,
government agencies and the public recognizing it as a symbol
of quality.
For more information, visit
www.AAAHC.org.
AAAHC Programs Relating to Specialty
Health Organizations
