Book excerpt: The Hospital Guide to Contemporary Utilization Review is a comprehensive resource designed to identify utilization review (UR) best practices and provide guidance on developing and enhancing a contemporary UR committee. This book focuses on the latest UR and patient status requirements to help hospitals perform high-quality reviews and comply with regulations. The book covers a range of topics, including compliance with the UR Condition of Participation, legal obligations of a hospital, contract language, and compliant UR plan language to provide an understanding of the expectations of a UR program. Tips for intradepartmental collaboration are included to guide professionals through the process of selecting a physician advisor and partnering with nurses, case managers, and revenue cycle team members. This book will help you do the following: Identify the components of a best practice hospital utilization review (UR) program Describe the legal obligations of the hospital to comply with chapter 42 CFR 482.30 of the Conditions of Participation (CoP) Use the publication as a tool to assess his or her own hospital's UR processes Summarize the benefits of a dedicated UR team to promote compliance with the CoP Facilitate the development of a contemporary UR committee Assess an organization's opportunities to improve processes to benefit patient care and hospital success Recommend compliant language for the organization's UR plan Construct commercial contract language, in collaboration with the organization's contract manager, that promotes a partnership to ensure appropriate use of acute care resources Seek out operational resources to perform high-quality reviews that fully comply with the CoP Explain the connection between a good utilization review plan and the hospital revenue cycle initiatives