URAC ©
Medical Mutual Standards of Care Receive Full Accreditation
Medical Mutual has earned Full Accreditation for its Utilization
Management and Case Management programs from URAC, a non-profit organization that
establishes standards for the Managed Care industry. Full Accreditation is the
highest level of accreditation awarded by URAC.
"Medical Mutual has always been dedicated to providing continuous quality
improvement to its members," says Paula Sauer, Vice President of Care Management.
"This accreditation confirms we offer the highest level of clinical integrity in
the areas of utilization and case management."
Accreditation is a symbol of quality in the health care industry
that identifies best practices and promotes performance measurement by evaluating
operations and services against national standards developed by experts and
stakeholders in the health care marketplace. Accreditation also advances the goal
of value-based health care purchasing: obtaining the highest quality care at the
most reasonable cost. By engaging in a hands-on process of evaluating quality and
efficiency, URAC accreditation goes far beyond the assurances provided by an RFP,
and is a critical measure used for purchaser decision making. Organizations earn
accreditation by voluntarily undergoing a rigorous and comprehensive review that
ensures ongoing compliance.
URAC promotes continuous improvement in the quality and efficiency
of health care management through the processes of accreditation, education and
measurement. Health care organizations that wish to demonstrate their commitment
to consumer protection and empowerment, quality operations, and regulatory
compliance have the opportunity to be reviewed under a wide variety of quality
standards. These standards serve as “building blocks” for quality improvement that
can be expanded as organizations grow and evolve.
Founded in 1990, URAC’s first accreditation program was designed for
health care organizations performing utilization review (the practice of determining
whether a health care service is medically necessary). Since that time, URAC has
expanded its accreditation, education and measurement services to cover nearly every
functional aspect of health care management and health insurance. URAC accredits over
400 healthcare organizations doing business in the United States under at least one
of its accreditation programs.