New CM standards on the horizon

The American Accreditation HealthCare Commission/URAC’s proposed accreditation standards for case management (CM) programs will be finalized this spring. The standards, establishing national benchmarks, are being developed in the following categories:

• scope of the program;
• staff qualifications;
• program structure;
• information systems and documentation;
• quality management and improvement;
• accessibility;
• patient protections, including policies for confidentiality of patient information, informed consent, and dispute resolution.

The standards require CM companies to establish a process to assess, plan, and implement interventions. URAC’s proposed standards are available on-line at URAC’s Web site: www.cmsa.org.