How To Become A URAC Committee/Council Member
As an independent third-party accreditor, URAC convenes subject matter experts who volunteer their time and talent to develop and review our program standards. Volunteers collaborate with URAC Staff to provide the insights and real-world, evidence-based experience that adds rigor to our programs.
On occasion, URAC will have a call for nominations for product-specific advisory group membership. Product advisory group membership is limited in scope and volunteer time. Time commitment for the product-specific advisory groups typically spans four to six weeks.
If you and/or your sponsor organization have a passion for excellence and wish to contribute to elevating the quality of health care through standards development, please complete the form below. We will review your resume/CV to identify if there is an appropriate Committee/Council for you.
To apply to be a member of the URAC Advisory Group/Committee/Council Membership please email productdevelopment@urac.org
In your email, please include:
- Name
- Job Title
- Organization
- State
- Phone
- Website
Indicate the membership you are interested in;
- Product Specific Advisory Group
- Health Standards Committee
- Pharmacy Advisory Council
And please attach your resume/CV.
To apply to be a member of the URAC Measures Advisory and Research Group please email researchmeasurement@urac.org
In your email, please include:
- Name
- Job Title
- Organization
- State
- Phone
- Website
And please attach your resume/CV.
URAC Standing Committees/Councils
Mission Statement
URAC’s Health Standards Committee’s (HSC) mission is to advise URAC on the development of new and revised programs as well as accreditation policy. The HSC has the final review authority for all URAC accreditation, certification and designation programs, referenced as recognition programs.
Committee Objectives
The objectives of the Committee are:
- To advise and assist URAC staff in developing, maintaining and revising URAC’s health accreditation standards and measures, if applicable.
- To review standards development work completed by the Pharmacy Advisory Council, Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder (MH/SUD) Parity Advisory Council, Product Advisory Groups, Focus Groups and Reactor Panels prior to the release of draft versions for public comment and prior to URAC Board approval.
- To provide guidance on health industry trends and issues, URAC policy, and identification of health industry as well as government contacts and experts.
- To provide guidance on the identification, selection, and scope of URAC recognition programs.
- To provide objective input regarding the interpretation of standards, as well as standard language, supporting guide information, scoring methodology, recognition categories, defined terms, and measures, if applicable.
- To provide URAC staff with interpretations and/or commentary on URAC standards upon request.
- To provide objective input regarding stakeholder experiences with URAC’s Programs and identify opportunities for improvement and enhancement.
- To ensure that URAC maintains and updates its standards and associated guide information based upon best practices and current scientific evidence.
Activities
The Committee will be convened to:
- Field interpretation questions, and any other issue(s) that arise pursuant to the Committee’s Objectives.
- Provide input on accreditation and Committee-related policies and procedures when required.
- Review various topics of research presented to identify, select, and determine options for strategy and policy for URAC to consider, and take such other actions as requested.
- Determine its recommendations related to standards and measures, including approval of standards and measures prior to forwarding to the URAC Board for approval.
The Council may participate in joint meetings with URAC’s other standing advisory groups to discuss and/or clarify issues related to standards development or interpretation.
Membership
Committee Members are comprised of representatives from various industries and organizations. They will provide input, perspective, research, and expertise to Committee issues.
Members selected for the Committee will be from:
- Health care industry (providers, payers, case managers, pharmacists, etc.)
- Government
- Consumer advocacy organizations
- Professional/Industry Associations
- Industries that support the provision of health services (TPAs, health care brokers, and SDOH-related companies, etc.)
- Nominees identified by URAC Reviewer recommendations
Membership Requirements
Members must:
- Be willing to serve on the Committee for two three-year terms
- Be knowledgeable about:
- Health care industry in general
- Specific area of expertise
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk management
- Quality management, etc.
Curriculum vitae or resume demonstrates understanding of:
- Accreditation
- Compliance
- Risk management concepts
- Quality management principles
We are looking for committee members who:
- Demonstrate a professional commitment to quality improvement
- Have current, active contemporary engagement/practice within health care
- History of supporting standards development preferred
Discussion with prospective candidates will include:
- Evaluation of interest in supporting URAC standards development
- Clarification:
- Unique value candidate can introduce to Committee role
- Diverse perspective candidate can bring to Committee role
- Participation requirements
- Time commitment
- Identification of organizational alternate (highly encouraged; not mandatory)
- Term: One three-year term with one option of renewal
Meeting Schedule
Meetings will:
- Be held at a maximum of eight times a year.
- Be web- or phone-based, where all members can communicate with other members. Email discussions of issues may take place, but no decision can be made by email unless there is unanimous consent by all Committee members.
If you’re interested in joining the Committee, please complete the application form.
Mission Statement
URAC’s Pharmacy Advisory Council’s (PAC) mission is to advise URAC on the development of new and revised pharmacy programs as well as accreditation policy.
Council Objectives
The objectives of the Council are:
- To advise and assist URAC staff in developing, maintaining and revising URAC’s pharmacy accreditation standards and measures, if applicable.
- To provide guidance on pharmacy industry trends and issues, URAC policy, and identification of pharmacy industry as well as government contacts and experts.
- To provide guidance on the identification, selection, and scope of URAC pharmacy recognition programs (i.e., accreditations, certifications and designations).
- To provide objective input regarding the interpretation of pharmacy standards, as well as standard language, supporting guide information, scoring methodology, recognition categories, defined terms, and measures.
- To ensure that URAC maintains and updates its pharmacy standards and associated guide information based upon best practices and current scientific evidence.
Activities
The Council will be convened to:
- Field interpretation questions, and any other issue(s) that arise pursuant to the Council’s Objectives.
- Provide input on pharmacy accreditation and Council-related policies and procedures when required.
- Review various topics of research presented to identify, select, and determine options for pharmacy strategy and policy for URAC to consider, and take such other actions as requested.
- Determine its recommendations related to pharmacy standards and measures, including review of standards and measures prior to URAC Board approval.
Membership
The Pharmacy Advisory Council is comprised of representatives from various pharmacy sectors and organizations. They will provide input, perspective, research, and expertise to Council issues.
Members selected for the Council can be from:
- Health care industry (providers, payers, case managers, pharmacists, etc.)
- Government
- Consumer advocacy organizations
- Professional/Industry Associations
- Industries that support the provision of health services (TPAs, health care brokers, and SDOH-related companies, etc.)
- Nominees identified by URAC Reviewer recommendations
- Industries that support the provision of pharmacy services (Pharmacy Benefit Managers, Specialty Pharmacies, Community Pharmacies, TPAs, health care brokers, and SDOH-related companies, etc.)
Membership Requirements
Members must:
- Be willing to serve on the Council for two three-year terms
- Be knowledgeable about:
- Health care industry in general
- Pharmacy-specific area of expertise
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk management
- Quality management, etc.
Curriculum vitae or resume demonstrates understanding of:
- Accreditation
- Compliance
- Risk management concepts
- Quality management principles
We are looking for members who:
- Demonstrate a professional commitment to quality improvement
- Have current, active contemporary engagement/practice within health care
History of supporting standards development preferred
Discussion with prospective candidates would include:
- Evaluation of interest in supporting URAC standards development
- Clarification of:
- Unique value candidate can introduce to Council role
- Diverse perspective candidate can bring to Council role
- Participation requirements
- Time commitment
- Identification of organizational alternate (highly encouraged; not mandatory)
Term: One three year-term with one option of renewal
Meeting Schedule
Meetings will:
- Be held at a maximum of eight times a year.
- Be web- or phone-based, where all members can communicate with other members. Email discussions of issues may take place, but no decision can be made by email unless there is unanimous consent by all Council members.
If you’re interested in joining the Council, , please complete the application form.
Mission Statement
URAC’s Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder (MH/SUD) Parity Advisory Council’s mission is to provide strategic guidance to the Health Standards Committee to help inform future development of URAC’s MH/SUD Parity Programs. URAC’s MH/SUD programs include:
- MH/SUD Regulatory Compliance Guide
- ParityManager™ software tool
- MH/SUD Parity Accreditation
The Council supports and informs the development of additional products or services that URAC may develop related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).
Council Objectives
- To advise and assist URAC staff in developing, maintaining and revising URAC’s Compliance Guide, Parity Manager, and MHP/SUD accreditation standards and measures, if applicable.
- To provide counsel on best practices supported by current medical or scientific evidence or widely accepted consensus-driven standards of practice related to the MHPAEA.
- To provide input on how best to address URAC policy in accreditation products (e.g., new standards or measures, interpretive information, designation, certification, and accreditation standards).
- To review comments received from parties external to URAC during a comment period.
- To provide URAC staff with interpretations and/or commentary on URAC standards upon request.
- To provide objective input regarding stakeholder experiences with URAC’s MH/SUD Parity Programs and identify opportunities for improvement and enhancement
Activities
The Council will be convened to:
- Provide input on the accreditation review process and related policies and procedures.
- Address issue(s) that arise as required pursuant to the Council’s Objectives.
- Review various topics of research presented to identify, select, and determine changes that may be necessary to the URAC MH/SUD Parity Programs.
- Introduce concepts for review, exploration, evaluation and potential introduction to URAC’s MH/SUD products and services.
The Council may participate in joint meetings with URAC’s other standing advisory groups to discuss and/or clarify any issues related to standards development or interpretation.
Membership
Council members are comprised of representatives from various industries and organizations. They will provide input, perspective, research, and expertise to Council issues.
Members selected for the Council will be from:
- Behavioral Health Organizations
- Health Plans
- Employer and Purchaser Groups
- Advocacy Organizations
- Hospitals and Health Systems, etc.
Membership Requirements
Members must:
- Be willing to serve on the Council for two three-year terms
- Be knowledgeable about federal parity requirements and related compliance activities, etc.
Meeting Schedule
Meetings will:
- Be held at a maximum of four times a year.
- Be web- or phone-based, where all members can communicate with other members. Email discussions of issues may take place, but no decision can be made by email unless there is unanimous consent by all Council members.
If you’re interested in joining the Council, , please complete the application form.
Mission Statement
URAC’s Measures Advisory & Research Group’s (MARG) mission is to provide guidance, recommendations, and suggestions by industry experts to URAC’s Quality, Research & Measurement Department with regards to the evaluation, development, and selection process of quality metrics that should be included in URAC’s accreditation programs. By doing so, the MARG will assist to improve the quality of the health care data provided by accredited organizations, to incorporate measures that accurately and objectively reflect healthcare industry trends, to advance the methodology development and accuracy, and to assist in the selection and scope of research projects.
Advisory Group Objectives
The objectives of the advisory group are:
- To provide guidance on the evaluation of measures to ensure the inclusion of appropriate performance and quality measures in accreditation URAC programs.
- To provide objective input regarding measures based on standardized criteria such as importance to measure and report, scientific acceptability of measure properties, feasibility, and usability.
- To ensure that URAC maintains and updates its measure sets based upon best practices and current scientific evidence.
- To provide guidance on the identification, selection, and scope of healthcare quality research projects.
Activities
The advisory group will be convened to:
- To address measure evaluation, measure selection recommendation, measure revisions based on public comment (if appropriate), measure retirement, classification determinations, and any other technical measure issue(s) that arise from the use of the URAC measure sets.
- Provide input on URAC measures and measurement implementation policies and procedures when required.
- Review various topics of research presented to identify, select, and determine the scope for analysis.
Membership
The Measures Advisory & Research Group (MARG) is comprised of representatives from various of external sources that reflect the diversity of key healthcare stakeholders and will provide input, perspective, research, and expertise to advisory issues.
Members selected for the Advisory Group can be from:
- Health care industry (providers, payers, case managers, pharmacists, etc.)
- Government
- Statisticians
- Measure developers
- Academia
- Professional/Industry Associations
- Consumer advocacy organizations
Membership Requirements
Members must:
- Be willing to serve on the Advisory Group for two three-year terms
- Be knowledgeable about:
- Measures and measurement methodologies, e.g., psychometrics, risk adjustment, etc.
- Health care industry in general
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk management
- Quality management, etc.
Curriculum vitae or resume demonstrates understanding of:
- Performance measurement
- Accreditation
- Compliance
- Risk management concepts
- Quality management principles
We are looking for members who:
- Demonstrate a professional commitment to quality improvement
- Have current, active contemporary engagement/practice within health care
History of supporting measure development preferred
Discussion with prospective candidates would include:
- Evaluation of interest in supporting URAC measurement activities
- Clarification of:
- Unique value candidate can introduce to Advisory Group role
- Diverse perspective candidate can bring to Advisory Group role
- Participation requirements
- Time commitment
Term: One three year-term with one option of renewal
Meeting Schedule
Meetings will:
- Be held at a maximum of four times a year.
- Be web- or phone-based, where all members can communicate with other members.
- Email discussions of issues may take place, but no decision can be made by email unless there is unanimous consent by all Advisory Group members.
If you’re interested in joining the Measures Advisory & Research Group (MARG), please complete the MARG application form above.