While the peak of reported H1N1 cases in the U.S. may be behind us, consumer demand for flu related heath advice remains high. Hospitals, health insurers, and employers have relied heavily on their healthcare call centers this season to provide updated health information and advice from licensed professionals.

URAC, the leading healthcare accreditation organization for medical call centers, recently published a news release focused on the benefit of utilizing accredited health call centers to respond to public health concerns like H1N1 and the seasonal flu.

URAC News Release: Consumer Demand for H1N1 Information Highlights Importance of Accreditation for Health Call Centers

Key Takeaways

URAC Accredited Health Call Centers:

• Have policies and procedures in place to effectively respond to public health concerns.
• Offer access to licensed Registered Nurses 24 hours a day; seven days a week.
• Utilize physician authored clinical guidelines to ensure consistent and up-to-date advice.
• Adhere to clear benchmarks for medical call center service level standards, ensuring healthcare consumers receive responses to their health issues quickly.
• Provide assurance that health line services are adhering to strict quality standards.

With the seasonal flu right around the corner (and a potential third wave of H1N1), it's important your contact center is ready to handle increased call volume without sacrificing service quality. By partnering with a URAC accredited health call center,  you ensure your consumers will receive the information and care they need as quickly as possible.

Visit URAC's website for more information on their Health Call Center Standards.

SironaHealth is a URAC accredited health call center that provides 24 x 7 nurse advice line services on behalf of health plans and hospitals nationwide. For more information on our accreditation, please read our official news release.