Accreditation Eligibility Requirements

A. Organization must provide medical care and perform business activities in an ethical manner.

B. Organization must be capable of evaluating walk-in patients for all ages for a broad spectrum of illness, injury, and disease during all hours the center is open to patients.

1. Pediatric, Adult only, and Occupational Health specialty organizations and their centers are exempt from age requirement IF specialization is included in the name, scope, and advertising of the center(s) and the organization has a process on how center will handle patients who seek care outside the center’s scope of care (e.g., pediatric patients that present to an adult UC).

C. Clear notification to the public regarding the scope of care in signage and advertisement.

D. Licensed provider (MD/DO/NP/PA) on site during all posted hours of operation.

E. Licensed providers and qualified staff on site with the appropriate state licenses and resources to meet the following:

1. obtain and interpret an EKG (not required for Pediatric scope though considered Best Practice),
2. obtain and interpret an X-ray (not required for convenient care scope),
3. order and administer PO and IM medication, and
4. perform minor procedures (e.g., sutures, incision & drainage, splinting) (not required for convenient care scope),

F. The following must be available during all posted hours of operation for each center:

1.  Radiological equipment (imaging modality per scope specification) (not required for convenient care scope),
2. Laboratory Services (not required for Orthopedic scope),
   a. CLIA Certificate of Waiver, at minimum, with the performance of onsite testing appropriate to the center’s population with one or more waived, moderate, or high complexity tests (e.g., blood glucose, urine dip).
   b. Specimen collection (staffing and supplies) for same day transport to reference laboratory
3. Emergency response equipment and staff trained in its use including:
   a. Automated external defibrillator (AED) or more advanced device
   b. Oxygen, ambu-bag/oral airway
   c. Emergency medications stocked for the patient population (as determined by the organization’s governing body)
   d. Phone to dial 911

G. Each center’s floor plan must include the following:

1. No less than two exam rooms
2. Separate waiting area
3. Patient restroom as part of the center
4. Urine drug screen (UDS) compliant restroom (required for Occupational Health scope only)

H. Organization must have a licensed physician designated for overall clinical quality (i.e., Medical Director).

1. Written job description available

I. Business license, certificate of occupancy, or equivalent for each center.

J. Occupational Health Scope Only:
a. Providers on site with the appropriate certification, training, and resources to perform DOT physicals or arrangements to provide the service through another center within the organization
b. Providers and/or staff on site with the appropriate certification, training, and resources to provide:

   a. UDS collections with onsite testing or an agreement for offsite testing via reference lab
   b. Color blindness testing
   c. Visual acuity testing (Snellen eye chart, Titmus vision screener, etc.)
   d. Whisper hearing testing

c. Providers and/or staff on site with the appropriate certification, training, and resources to provide the following services or arrangements to provide the following services through another center within the organization or 3rd party vendor:

   a. Breath alcohol testing (BAT)
   b. PFT/Spirometry
   c. Respiratory Fit testing
   d. DME supplies on site either directly or through third party DME arrangement

K. Convenient Care Scope Only: Agreement(s) with 3rd party(ies) to provide certifiable-scope UC services including x-ray and minor procedures

L. Mobile Scope Only: Agreement(s) with X-ray mobile unit or, if mobile is unavailable in market, with local imaging facility

Certain organizations and practice types are unlikely to meet all the above minimum criteria. These organizations should use extreme caution when applying, as fees are not refundable. Some examples include pain clinics, chiropractic offices, physician offices with only select hours for walk-ins, and clinics with limited scope within a retail store. In states with legal restrictions on using the term “Urgent Care,” certificates will be issued with Immediate Care designations