URAC Extends Submission Deadline for 2010 Best Practices Awards

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Apr 05, 2010, 04:28 ET

Final Deadline for Awards Recognizing Leadership and Innovation in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection now April 12

WASHINGTON, April 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- URAC, the nation's leading health care accreditation and education organization, has extended the deadline for entries for its 2010 Best Practice Awards in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection until April 12, 2010. The Best Practices Awards honor companies that are setting the standard in advancing the role of consumers as active participants in health care.

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Organizations can submit programs for consideration by completing the online submission form found at http://webapps.urac.org/bestpractices/login.asp.

"These awards honor the best of the best and are an industry-recognized opportunity to showcase best practices and demonstrate commitment to engage consumers as partners," said Alan P. Spielman, president and CEO of URAC. "We are delighted to honor those who are leading the health care industry through innovation and providing proven, transferable practices that advance patient safety and empower consumers."

Awards will be given in two categories:

Consumer Decision-Making – recognizing practices that educate consumers about their health care needs while providing the information, tools, and resources necessary to promote empowerment. These could include health coaching, disease-specific education, or behavior change programs.
Consumer Health Improvement – honoring practices that are related to quality improvement in patient safety such as drug therapy management, disease prevention, or care coordination.

The competition is open to six types of health care organizations: Health Care Provider Practices, Health Information/Decision Support Companies, Health Management Companies, Health Plans and Health Networks, Pharmacy Management Companies, and Workers' Compensation Companies.

Finalists will have the opportunity to present their award-winning practice during an educational session at URAC's 11th Annual Quality Summit and Awards Program scheduled for October 5–7, 2010 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown.

The deadline for entries is April 12, 2010. To access the online submission form, visit http://webapps.urac.org/bestpractices/login.asp. For questions, email [email protected] or call 202-216-9010.

About URAC

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org

SOURCE URAC