Practice Transformation Institute (PTI) Receives Nation’s First URAC Accreditation
for Patient Centered Health Care Home Auditing
Media Contact: Barbara M. Fornasiero: EAFocus Communications; 248.651.7536; cell: 586.817.8414; barbara@eafocus.com
Troy, Mich.— January 24, 2012 — Practice Transformation Institute (PTI), an organization providing the health care community with Continuing Medical Education and customized learning programs that improve patient health outcomes and the individual care delivery experience, has been awarded a certificate of accreditation from URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry. The accreditation is for compliance with the Patient Centered Health Care Home Auditor Certification (PCHCH) and is effective January 1, 2012.
Like the similarly named Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), a Patient Centered Health Care Home (PCHCH) is a quality-driven, interdisciplinary clinician-led team approach to coordinating and delivering care that puts patients, family members and personal caregivers at the center of all decisions concerning the patient’s health and wellness. A PCHCH provides comprehensive and individualized access to physical health, behavioral health and supportive community and social services, ensuring patients receive the right care in the right setting at the right time. With the accreditation from URAC, PTI becomes the first training organization in the country certified to audit primary care practices aiming for PCHCH designation.
Linda Mackensen, R.N., Executive Director of PTI, says the organization is excited about its relationship with URAC and working with the provider community in Michigan and nationally to advance PCHCH programs.
“With URAC accreditation, PTI can review the practices of primary care offices in Michigan and throughout the country that are participating in the PCHCH Practice Achievement program, which supports two different levels of recognition and allows practices to work at their own pace,” explains Mackensen. “The URAC approach is a flexible, stepwise process that supports transformation at the primary care practice level, which is so vital to improving patient’s health and outcomes. This relationship with URAC represents a new and exciting chapter in PTI’s history of practice transformation activities,” continues Mackensen.
Alan Spielman, URAC president and CEO, commends PTI for its accreditation.
“By applying for and receiving the Patient Centered Health Care Home Auditor Certification, Practice Transformation Institute demonstrates a commitment to quality health care, which is crucial to our nation’s welfare. It is important to have organizations that are willing to measure themselves against national standards,” notes Spielman.
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 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. For more information, visit www.urac.org.
About Practice Transformation Institute (PTI)
Practice Transformation Institute is Michigan’s leading provider of CME and IACET accredited experiential learning programs for the Patient-Centered Medical Home and other primary care transformation initiatives. Practice Transformation Institute is a founding partner of the Mackinac Learning Collaborative, a learning community linking Michigan physicians with their peers to rapidly test and implement meaningful, sustainable change within their physician practices. PTI also runs the Physician’s Training Center in Madison Heights. To learn more about Practice Transformation Institute or the Mackinac Learning Collaborative, please visit www.transformcoach.org.
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