URAC Core 3 -- v. 2.1 Proposed Revision

The proposed 2.1 version of Core 3 reads as follows:

The organization: (--)

(a) Maintains and complies with written policies and procedures that govern core business processes of its operations related to the scope of the accreditation; (Wt = M)

(b) Maintains the ability to produce a master list of all such policies and procedures; (Wt = 2)

(c) Reviews policies and procedures no less than annually and revises as necessary; (Wt = 3)

(d) Includes the following on the master list or on all policies and procedures: (Wt = 2)

(i) Effective dates, review dates, including the date of the most recent revision; and

(ii) Identification of approval authority. 

This proposed revision of Core 3 has two substantive components:

• URAC has made subsection (b) more flexible, by including the phrase “the ability to produce” a master list of P&Ps.  This acknowledges the fact that some organizations keep their P&Ps in electronic form, and don’t have an already-printed master list (but could create one with the push of a button).
• URAC eliminated subsection (e) from this standard, seeing as redundant with an element of Core 8.

So, nothing revolutionary here – just a combination of common sense and good housekeeping.  In my view, any time you can make a standard more reflective of operational reality and get rid of duplication, all in the same breath, you’ve done a good thing.