The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced today that the Web site of its Technology Evaluation Center has been awarded Health Web Site Accreditation from URAC, a Washington, DC-based healthcare accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the healthcare industry. The accreditation applies to the Technology Evaluation Center Web site at bcbs.com/tec
Web sites that receive the URAC Health Web Site Accreditation Seal have been thoroughly evaluated against more than 50 URAC Health Web Site standards to ensure that they deliver quality health content and services. URAC's rigorous application process often serves as the framework around which healthcare Web sites and service providers structure their internal operations to ensure quality outcomes. It provides a third-party verification mechanism for compliance so consumers know that the site will maintain its quality services over time.
URAC's Health Web Site Accreditation standards require companies to establish a process to assess, plan and implement features that protect consumers who seek health information on the Internet.
"By applying for and receiving health web site accreditation, BCBSA has demonstrated a commitment to quality healthcare," said Garry Carneal, URAC president and CEO. "Quality healthcare is crucial to our nation's welfare and it is important to have organizations that are willing to measure themselves against national standards."
"The URAC Health Web Site Accreditation review required us to take a hard look at ourselves and our operations," said Allan Korn, M.D., BCBSA Chief Medical Officer. "When consumers see that a Web site has received URAC accreditation, they can be assured that it is a truthful, objective, understandable online health information resource."
Since 1985, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's Technology Evaluation Center (TEC) has been recognized for its leadership in evidence-based healthcare technology assessment. Its mission is to provide healthcare decision makers with timely, objective and scientifically rigorous assessments that synthesize the available evidence on the diagnosis, treatment, management and prevention of disease.
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is made up of 41 independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans that collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 90 million - nearly one-third of all Americans.
