CVS Health is the first company to earn a Health Equity Accreditation from URAC.
The independent nonprofit accrediting organization said CVS was the first to apply to the program, which started in 2023.
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The health equity accreditation program launched after the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted existing health equity issues, according to Dr. Shawn Griffin, URAC president and CEO.
During the accreditation process, which takes roughly six months to complete, the organization considers a company's workforce, its patient or consumer population mix, and healthcare disparities in its service area, among other factors. URAC bills its accreditations as a "collaborative, comprehensive learning experience."
URAC declined to say how many organizations have applied to the accreditation program, or where in the accreditation process other companies are.
CVS’ social determinants of health dashboard — aimed at helping identify individuals who are at risk of poor outcomes and refer them to community-based programs and screening options — contributed to its accreditation, URAC said. The company's work in addressing health-related cost and access barriers played a role too, according to URAC.
A CVS Health spokesperson also pointed to CVS Caremark's "pharmacoequity tool," which identitifies individuals at greater relative risk of poor health and disparities in outcomes.
URAC's Griffin said the team's leadership commitment and presence across all consumer demographics additionally helped put the company over the edge.
