Commendation

The Commission on Ambulatory and Urgent Care Quality partners with the Urgent Care College of Physicians to elevate quality beyond fundamental competencies and standards.

Commendations recognize organizations achieving excellence in specific areas of the field.

In partnership between the Commission on Ambulatory and Urgent Care Quality (CAUCQ) and the College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM), we offer an Antibiotic Stewardship Commendation program for Urgent Care organizations that demonstrate a commitment to responsible prescribing practices for antibiotics. With antimicrobial resistance on the rise, we advocate for healthcare clinicians to prescribe the right drug in the right dose for the right duration.

Our Commendation Programs require Urgent Care organizations to provide evidence of their compliance with the Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship program developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat, and we are proud to take a leadership role in finding a solution to this growing problem. With a real need for comprehensive antibiotic stewardship across the healthcare industry, we encourage all Urgent Care clinicians to take ownership of their prescribing practices and understand the role they play in stewardship efforts.

For additional resources on Antibiotic Stewardship, visit the College of Urgent Care Medicine’s resource page.

Core Elements

Commitment. Demonstrate dedication to and accountability for optimizing antibiotic prescribing and patient safety. Applicants will submit evidence of compliance with no fewer than one initiative within the organization demonstrating a commitment to appropriate prescribing of antibiotics with each patient encounter.
Action For Policy & Practice. Organization to implement at least one policy or practice to improve antibiotic prescribing, assess whether it is working, modify if it is not. Submit an ABS Quality Plan describing how the organization intends: 1) to identify opportunities for antibiotic prescribing improvement, and 2) to measure, report and modify the policy or practice, if needed.
Education & Expertise. Provide educational resources to clinicians and patients on antibiotic prescribing and ensure access to needed expertise on optimizing antibiotic prescribing. The applicant will submit a plan for ongoing education focused on appropriate prescribing, communication, and patient safety.
Tracking & Report of Data. Monitor antibiotic prescribing and offer regular feedback to clinicians, or have clinicians assess their own antibiotic prescribing practices themselves. Applicants will submit a plan for tracking and reporting of data, including: 1) What is to be tracked? 2) How is it tracked and measured? 3) How frequently will it be reported? 4) Who is receiving the reported data?

The Commission on Ambulatory and Urgent Care Quality (CAUCQ) and the College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM) partnered together to support and advocate for specific training in the specialty of Urgent Care medicine for clinicians working in Urgent Care. Academic training programs and residencies in family medicine typically provide insufficient training and practical experience in the depth and breadth of skills required in this unique setting, and emergency medicine programs typically provide insufficient training in the primary care-related aspects of Urgent Care.

Urgent Care medicine is not yet recognized as a specialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Though other board exams do exist, their use is not widespread, leaving a gap in the certification of specialized skills and competency in Urgent Care. The Specialty Training Commendation Program requires Urgent Care organizations to provide evidence of their commitment to formalized training and continuing education for clinicians in Urgent Care medicine. The program provides a framework for specialty training, which focuses on clinical training and patient experience training.

Core Elements

Commitment. The organization made a commitment statement to the specialty of Urgent Care medicine via the application. The organization demonstrates further and continued dedication to and ongoing accountability for administering, evaluating, and improving training specific to Urgent Care.
Clinical Training. Mandatory training in Urgent Care medicine and other aspects of practicing medicine that are specific to the specialty of Urgent Care, that includes written training policy, tracking and reporting mechanisms, and training to be completed by all clinicians within 90 days of hire and annually. Training to include, at minimum, procedural fundamentals, clinical approaches, charting, emergency department referrals, and shared decision making.
Patient Experience Training. Mandatory training in customer service or patient experience specific to the specialty of Urgent Care, that includes written training policy, tracking and reporting mechanisms, and training to be completed by all clinicians within 90 days of hire and annually.
Evaluation & Training. Ensure program includes a continuous improvement process that includes evaluation, tracking, reporting, review, and response to findings.

To apply for Commendation, please email us at connect@caucq.org.

Program Participant Directories

Looking for a list of CAUCQ Program participants? Please visit our store to download your free copy of our Program Directories. Our directories are for general informational purposes only and should not be used to verify compliance with regulations or payer requirements. If you are a representative of a regulatory agency or payer, please contact us at connect@caucq.org to verify an organization’s participation.