SANTA ANA, Calif., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- PacifiCare Behavioral Health's Southwest and Western Region service centers have been awarded Case Management Accreditation from URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry.
"This distinction underscores our long-standing commitment to quality care," said Jerry Vaccaro, M.D., president and chief executive officer of PacifiCare Behavioral Health. "Ensuring that our services most appropriately meet the needs of our members is our first priority. Recognition from URAC demonstrates our compliance with national quality standards for case management."
"PacifiCare Behavioral Health should be commended for meeting strict quality standards," said Garry Carneal, URAC president and CEO. "It is critically important for health care organizations to make a commitment to quality and accountability. URAC accreditation is a demonstration of that commitment."
URAC's Case Management Accreditation standards address approaches to ensuring appropriate patient protections have been established, such as policies for confidentiality of patient information, informed consent, dispute resolution and other issues. The standards cover staff structure and qualifications, quality improvement, information management, oversight of delegated functions, ethics, complaints, and the case management process.
About URAC
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is a leader in promoting health care quality through accreditation and certification programs. URAC's standards keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a mark of distinction for health care organizations to demonstrate 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 setting meaningful standards for the health care industry. For more information, visit http://www.urac.org/.
About PacifiCare Behavioral Health
PacifiCare Behavioral Health, Inc. provides mental health, chemical dependency and employee assistance services to covered members and maintains a national network of behavioral health care practitioners. All PacifiCare Behavioral Health service centers hold three-year, Full Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), as well as URAC Health Utilization Management and Case Management Accreditation. PacifiCare Behavioral Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of PacifiCare Health Systems , with clients including health plans, union trust funds, employers, school districts and public sector agencies. More information on PacifiCare Behavioral Health can be obtained at http://www.pbhi.com/.
About PacifiCare Health Systems
PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation's largest consumer health organizations with more than 3 million health plan members and approximately 10 million specialty plan members nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life insurance products. Currently, more than 99 percent of PacifiCare's commercial health plan members are enrolled in plans that have received Excellent Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). PacifiCare's specialty operations include behavioral health, dental and vision, and complete pharmacy benefit management through its wholly owned subsidiary, Prescription Solutions. More information on PacifiCare Health Systems is available at http://www.pacificare.com/.
PacifiCare Behavioral Health, Inc.CONTACT: Dagmar King of PacifiCare Behavioral Health, +1-714-445-0453,dagmar.king@phs.com; or Dan Miller of PacifiCare Health Systems,+1-714-226-3726, dan.miller@phs.com