URAC introduces a Health Equity Accreditation program, developed with the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), to assist healthcare organizations in addressing health disparities. This initiative includes standards focused on integrating health equity principles, supporting disparity elimination efforts, and ensuring optimal healthcare for high-risk populations. URAC acknowledges the importance of external factors, such as social determinants of health, in driving disparities. Participants will report on organizational commitment, program planning, and equitable services over a six-month period, using an internal scoring system.
URAC has unveiled a novel Health Equity Accreditation program aimed at providing a practical roadmap for healthcare organizations committed to advancing health equity. This accreditation initiative, developed in collaboration with the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), is designed to assist healthcare organizations in assessing and guiding their efforts to combat health disparities, as stated in a recent URAC press release.
The Health Equity Accreditation program revolves around key standards, including the promotion of the integration of health equity principles, support for industry initiatives aimed at eradicating health disparities, and the assurance of optimal healthcare delivery to high-risk racial and ethnic populations, as well as individuals with disabilities, URAC announced.
This accreditation comes at a time when an increasing number of healthcare organizations are expressing their dedication to eliminating health disparities. However, despite acknowledging the urgency of addressing health inequities, very few of these organizations have a concrete action plan in place, as indicated by survey data from Vantage Health Technologies, according to URAC.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical necessity to tackle healthcare disparities and enhance health outcomes for historically marginalized groups,” commented Dr. Shawn Griffin, President and CEO of URAC. “Quality healthcare must be equitable and address systemic barriers,” he added. “As the concept of health equity continues to evolve, we must transform how organizations evaluate and commit to health equity principles. NMQF’s expertise, in conjunction with the diverse group of industry leaders we convened, provided invaluable insights throughout the development process of our new accreditation.”
URAC’s accreditation program is intended to aid organizations in implementing Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) and offers a structured framework for addressing health inequities. Organizations will leverage performance data to report on their efforts to combat health disparities within their focus populations.
Notably, URAC’s accreditation recognizes the external factors that contribute to health disparities, including social determinants of health, healthcare access, and genetic factors. The program’s health equity standards are designed to account for these external factors.
Participating organizations will be required to report on three focal areas: organizational commitment, program planning, and the provision of equitable services and support. The program will take approximately six months to complete, employing an internal scoring system to measure progress in advancing health equity.
URAC collaborated closely with NMQF and an expert advisory council to develop the Health Equity Accreditation program. The URAC Health Equity Council comprises individuals representing diverse races, ethnicities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, and professional backgrounds.
