The Urgent Care Association of America has unveiled a new, first-of-its-kind accreditation and certification program for the urgent care industry.
The program is unique because of its aims to focus on quality, safety and the scope of services provided by urgent care clinics, according to a news release.
To achieve accreditation, urgent care centers will have to meet or exceed UCAOA standards on governance, human resources, patient care processes, quality improvement, health record management and patient privacy/rights, among others. Site visits will be administered by a third party, and the process will also involve interviews with patients and staff, as well as other assessments.
"The urgent care industry is experiencing explosive growth and strong demand from consumers who want convenient, affordable and quality healthcare," Nathan Newman, MD, president of the UCAOA board of directors, said in the release. "This accreditation process solidifies and builds upon our commitment to delivering the highest quality care whenever a patient visits one of our certified and accredited centers."
There are currently two UCAOA accredited centers: Advantage Care Physicians in Staten Island, N.Y., and DocNow Urgent Care in Rochester Hills, Minn.
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