Management Tips

Core 7(c) requires that the organization's training program includetraining in URAC Standards.  That training need not be across all the URAC standards, but only those that are appropriate to job functions.

Historically, organizations seeking to comply with this subsection have focused their documentation efforts on staff training. Indeed, the Program Guide itself focuses on employees:

• Organizations may keep documentation of ongoing training in personnel files located in the personnel department, or these files may be a part of staff records held within the program’s department.
• In-house training on performance of job functions may be documented in staff meeting minutes, if the presentation occurred at that time. Please use sign-in sheets or record staff participating to document attendance.
• Staff located remotely or off-site, who are unable to participate in orientation provided at the organization’s site may sign a statement that they have read and understand the URAC standards related to their job responsibilities, and the orientation materials provided including policies and procedures and clinical decision support tools used to implement the program.

Yet, a literal reading of the standard would not limit its application to employees, but would have it extend to contractors to whom the accredited company has delegated functions, as well. Conversations that I've had in recent days with URAC-accredited companies that have recently gone through either a full on-site review or a monitoring on-site review reveal that URAC reviewers seem increasingly likely to look for documentation demonstrating that the accredited company's delegates, too, have received training in the applicable accreditation standards.

This training need not be at a URAC seminar. The company being reviewed may design its own training, hire a consultant, or use online training (such as that provided by Integral Healthcare Solutions) to provide that training, so long as it is clear to the URAC reviewer that the training is based on the most recent URAC standards that apply to the functions performed by the contractor.

URAC has long been well ahead of other accreditation organizations in recognizing the prevalence of the use of delegation in managed health care. It should come as no surprise, then, that URAC would make sure that contractors performing functions for URAC-accredited companies be adequately trained in the URAC standards that they are required by contract to uphold (see Core 17(b)).