URAC Core 10 -- v. 2.1 Proposed Revision

This standard addresses the qualifications of the senior clinical staff member.  URAC proposes no substantive changes to the standard, nor does it propose a meaningful change in scoring (beyond the overall scoring system change discussed elsewhere).  The only changes are a subtle attempt to clarify in the interpretive information associated with the standard. 

The new standard would read:

The organization designates at least one senior clinical staff
person who has: (---)
(a) Current, unrestricted clinical license(s) (or if the license is
restricted, the organization has a process to ensure job
functions do not violate the restrictions imposed by the state
licensure board); (Wt = M)
(b) Qualifications to perform clinical oversight of the services
provided; and (Wt = M)
(c) Post-graduate experience in direct patient care; and (Wt = M)
(d) Board certification (if the senior clinical staff person is an M.D.
or D.O.). (Wt = 3)

The interpretive changes are twofold:  First, an addition to the interpretive information makes it clear that it is the senior clinical staff person's responsibility to assure staff access to qualified clinical people.  Second, by creating a definition for the word "oversight" ("Monitoring and evaluation of the integrity of program processes and decisions affecting consumers"),  URAC intends to clarify the duties of this particularly important person.

I invite your comments as to how this will change anybody's approach to the URAC accreditation process.  URAC seldom does anything without a reason (or at least a history), but that doesn't necessarily mean that it will change your life.  Please let me know if it will.