This article contains:

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are public health professionals serving as liaisons between community members and the complex world of health and social services. For the MedTech industry, CHWs speed up the adoption of new technologies, such as remote patient monitoring devices and digital therapeutics, and provide competent training in their own communities.

We partnered with URAC, a nonprofit leader in medical accreditation, to explain community health worker certification.

The Growing Influence of CHWs in MedTech

The integration of CHWs produces a significant ROI. CHW intervention programs can generate $2.28 of return for every dollar invested through reductions in emergency department visits and readmissions. CHWs can also gather real-world data on Social Determinants of Health, providing invaluable insights for developing more equitable products and services.

CHW employment is expected to grow 11% from 2024 to 2034. However, integrating CHWs can be difficult due to the lack of a unified certification standard. Approaches by different states typically fall under three categories:

  • Mandatory certification: CHWs must be certified to practice and for their services to be reimbursed
  • Voluntary certification: States have a certification process and title protection, but with no requirement to practice
  • No formal state process: States have no official certification programs, but may have independent training centers or programs

The Case for a National Standard

CHW Interventions can result in effective care, such as significantly lower HbA1c levels in minority and low-income communities. A national standard for CHWs can unlock the full potential of the workforce and provide positive changes. Standardization can provide plenty of benefits, including:

  • Quality assurance: Provides established benchmarks for skills, knowledge and competencies of CHWs, assuring health care partners that a consistent level of quality can be met
  • Legitimacy: Formally recognizes the critical role of the care team
  • Simplified reimbursement: Verifiable standard for billing, compliance and financial sustainability
  • Scalability: Creates a predictable environment to help MedTech leaders develop and scale businesses that integrate CHWs across states

How URAC’s Accreditation Program Elevates the Standard

Third-party accreditation of CHW programs provides a reliable system to ensure quality and consistency. URAC, an independent and nonprofit leader in the health care quality industry, developed the Community Health Worker Program Accreditation to address this growing need.

URAC’s program sets itself apart by focusing on organizational infrastructure that supports CHWs rather than on individual accreditation. It validates that an organization follows rigorous standards in policies and procedures in recruitment, training, supervision and performance evaluation of CHWs.

The URAC standards are developed with industry experts and are focused on functions such as care coordination, cultural competency, health education and advocacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most commonly asked questions about community health work certification.

What is the difference between individual certification and program accreditation?

Individual certification validates an individual’s specific knowledge and skills. Program accreditation, such as one offered by URAC, evaluates an entire organization that employs or trains CHWs.

How does CHW program accreditation benefit a MedTech company?

Partnering with accredited organizations reduces risk and guarantees high-quality operations. CHW teams are well-managed and effective, maximizing the return on investment from the collaboration. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote CHW interventions led to reduced hospital use and greater care engagement.

Can CHWs help with data collection for SDoH?

Yes, data collection is one of the most valuable functions of CHWs. They can gather sensitive, real-world data such as housing instability, food insecurity and transportation barriers that are crucial to receiving care.

CHWs as Pillars of Health Care Innovation

Integrating Community Health Workers is now a standard for success among value-based health care systems. A national accreditation ensures a framework for consistent and high-quality care. MedTech leaders investing in partnerships with accredited CHW programs is an investment toward positive patient impact and innovation.