As disparities in medicine and health outcomes garner national attention, there has been a growing demand to verify a facility’s commitment to caring for everyone. The benefits of accreditation are tremendous, enhancing organizational performance by acknowledging areas for improvement, supporting compliance and indicating their social responsibility.
- An Overview of Health Equity Accreditation
- What Are the Steps to Obtain Health Equity Accreditation?
- 1. Conduct a Health Equity Readiness Assessment
- 2. Data Collection, Reporting and Analysis
- 3. Policy and Process Improvements
- 4. Workforce Training and Community Engagement
- 5. Submit Application and Undergo Review
- What Reviewers Seek in Accreditation Standards
- Challenges and Solutions
- Future Trends in Health Equity Accreditation
- Positioning Your Healthcare Organization for Equitable Care
Of course, the steps to obtain health equity accreditation are a process and require robust datasets and a proven willingness to create change.
An Overview of Health Equity Accreditation
According to research, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how social determinants of health can bolster inequities and result in poorer outcomes in marginalized communities. These factors include inadequate access to housing, nutritious food and employment, as well as exposure to extreme weather and climate-related impacts.
To address health injustices, medical organizations seek formal health equity accreditation to demonstrate that they promote equal, unrestricted care for all patients.
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Health equity accreditors, such as URAC, set rigorous standards and best practices to address the gaps. This leading, independent nonprofit organization requires facilities to evaluate, scrutinize and advance fairness in care delivery.
URAC is one of several agencies that can help your organization recognize and correct disparities within its operations. Achieving this standard of excellence will underscore your facility’s commitment to fairness while strengthening patient trust, health outcomes and community partnerships.
What Are the Steps to Obtain Health Equity Accreditation?
Your organization must follow several preliminary steps to obtain health equity accreditation and ensure that all proper documentation is submitted for review.
1. Conduct a Health Equity Readiness Assessment
Before obtaining accreditation, conduct a comprehensive readiness assessment to pinpoint gaps in equitable care. Analyze whether your existing services foster access and inclusion across all demographics, with special attention paid to health, language and cultural awareness.
URAC offers a three-question program navigation tool that provides tailored suggestions based on your organization’s needs. It delivers the best starting point among its extensive list of accreditation options, allowing you to retake the 30-second quiz to explore more.
2. Data Collection, Reporting and Analysis
Comprehensive data collection and transparent reporting are essential throughout the accreditation process. Your organization typically must furnish fundamental information regarding its structure, governance and services, and delegated functions.
For example, URAC requires you to submit your policies and procedures, workflow documents, sample reports and meeting minutes according to whichever accreditation you are seeking. You must segment demographics and services to specify inequities, track equity-focused metrics and support ongoing improvement.
These details allow your organization to showcase how it measures and interprets equity data and closes health care inefficiencies across patient populations.
3. Policy and Process Improvements
Review and implement policies that target language access, manage implied biases and incorporate the social determinants of health into care delivery. The most effective policies ensure everyone receives satisfactory care, regardless of their background or circumstances.
URAC holds this stage of accreditation in high regard, with a trained reviewer overlooking your policies for 30 to 45 days, scoring each to determine compliance. The reviewers will offer guidance and request follow-up information to help your organization strengthen its standards so they align with URAC’s equity criteria.
4. Workforce Training and Community Engagement
Workforce training and community engagement are key elements of health equity accreditation. Educating and engaging staff improves inclusive communication and cultural competence, creating a health care environment in which everyone can recognize and address care-based barriers. Additionally, your organization should partner with community groups to better understand patient needs.
Although the URAC cannot endorse or recommend consultants, some facilities opt to work with experts to supplement their training and engagement efforts. It is important to note that while consultants offer valuable guidance, agencies like URAC issue accreditation based on your organization’s readiness and resourcefulness.
5. Submit Application and Undergo Review
All of these steps prepare you to submit an application and undergo a thorough review with an accrediting body. For those seeking URAC accreditation, the process can take four to six months before reviewers make a decision.
Having the necessary documentation on hand streamlines your application submission and ensures compliance with all relevant standards and regulations. URAC will then conduct an evaluation, audit reports, interview staff, or schedule virtual and on-site surveys. You may be asked to clarify details or submit additional evidence of your readiness.
URAC will then provide feedback and issue full, conditional or provisional approvals. You might also receive corrective action or a denial, which you can appeal.
What Reviewers Seek in Accreditation Standards
Application reviewers often look for transparent data, management commitment and patient engagement throughout the process. Your organization should prove that it regularly collects and analyzes insights to address health inequities and enhance care delivery. Effective leadership is also crucial for achieving equity goals by implementing new policies and best practices.
Each URAC accreditation program has its own standards you must meet, whether you are pursuing certification for pharmacy practice, patient care management, administrative management or telehealth services. Review the eligibility requirements of your intended program to assess expectations.
Challenges and Solutions
Data gaps, limited resources and an inability to guarantee staff enthusiasm present numerous challenges for seeking health equity accreditation. Many organizations have difficulty defining equity beyond race and ethnicity and tend to overlook socioeconomics, disabilities and age.
According to one study, clarifying social determinants is especially challenging in Tribal communities, where all individuals are usually underserved. Inadequate insights from rural or small medical facilities also tend to hinder resource allocation and the designation of priority groups.
Funding also complicates things, as many departments must use terms like “disproportionately impacted populations” and “abilities and inabilities” instead of the straightforward “health equity” to secure local or state capital.
Broadening the definition of “equity” by leveraging creative data collection and using more inclusive language can enhance access to available resources. Likewise, it is essential to engage staff and external partners for support during the early stages of the accreditation process.
Future Trends in Health Equity Accreditation
Changes are on the horizon as regulators require more organizations to demonstrate progress in reducing disparities. New laws are also emerging, including the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2024 and the Equal Health Care for All Act.
Telehealth, electronic health records, artificial intelligence and other technologies are further improving how practitioners identify care gaps and implement targeted interventions.
Some accreditors are overhauling their standards and certification programs to establish a more consistent foundation for equity in care environments. The Joint Commission, another regulatory body, has developed resource centers to help hospitals better meet established standards.
URAC’s pharmacy programs have undergone recent changes to ensure they stay current with evolving industry standards that impact clients and patients.
Positioning Your Healthcare Organization for Equitable Care
It is important to follow the key steps to obtain health equity accreditation. Individual accrediting agencies will have their own eligibility and program requirements you must follow, but robust data collection and a steadfast willingness to implement changes to your operations are the foundations of making a meaningful, lasting impact.
