When you or any other normal person thinks of summer, images of cookouts, fireworks and fun by the pool probably spring to mind.

The world is changing – and that even includes the arcane world of physician board certifications.

As part of our research for the revamp of our business continuity plan, we realized that we wanted to enhance our ability to communicate with our staff.

Here at URAC, we're doing a lot to increase our visibility recently, which includes writing many of articles, social media posts, and press releases. You may know that we follow AP style, but in our writing we have wavered back and forth between using "health care" or "healthcare". So which is it?

The Monthly Review spotlights a different URACer each month in a Q&A. This month it's Bruce Karns, one of URAC's Pharmacy Accreditation Reviewers.

This will be my first summer in DC. I can’t say that I am looking forward to the heat, humidity, or tourists, but I spent almost a decade in Houston, so it can’t be MUCH worse. June will also mark the high school graduation of my youngest, Jonathan. After that graduation, my wife and two of our boys will move up from Charlotte and I will get to have us all together again for the summer. My family has always been incredibly important to me and I’m told that my face lights up when I talk about them. It has been hard to be away from my wife and sons for these four months, but I really believe the work we are doing at URAC is worth it.

So, what’s new in GR? Everything. (Half kidding)

After a great deal of collaboration and hard work from many of our staff, we are excited to announce the launch of URAC’s Home Infusion Therapy Supplier accreditation program. As Dr. Griffin states in his introductory letter for HITS, “Patient demand and improvements in safety have initiated the growth of infusion therapy in alternative settings, including outpatient centers and patients’ homes.”

For those of you that aren’t aware, CMS posted the final notice awarding URAC deemed authority for Medicare Advantage in May. The renewal is effective May 31, 2019 – June 2, 2025 which is the standard 6-year period.

You’ll recall that I’ve mentioned our focus on promoting many new ideas to external stakeholders to better measure industry interest on new URAC products that improve quality and value for patients before we “build them out.” These are typically proposed due to strong interest or newsworthiness on a topic. Not all of these ideas will become products, but some will.

The Monthly Review spotlights a different URACer each month in a Q&A. This month it's Heidy Davis, one of URAC's Pharmacy Accreditation Reviewers.