AAHA Champions for Excellent Care
Taking our little family members to the veterinarian can be a stress filled event. We worry about our cats and hope they will get a clean bill of health. We put our faith in their veterinary care just the same as we put our faith in our own healthcare professionals.
Nearly 60% of pet owners think their pet’s veterinary hospital is accredited but only about 15% of animal hospitals in the United States and Canada are American Animal Hospital Association® (AAHA) accredited.
Mercy waiting for his check up
AAHA Accredited is The Standard of Veterinary Excellence
Established in 1933 by leaders in the veterinary profession, AAHA is the only companion animal exclusive veterinary association. AAHA is best known for its accreditation of companion animal practices. To become accredited, companion animal hospitals undergo regular comprehensive evaluations by AAHA veterinary experts who evaluate the practice on approximately 900 standards of veterinary care. The Association also develops other publications and educational programs and resources designed to help companion animal hospitals thrive. The AAHA membership philosophy is team-focused, allowing every hospital staff member, from veterinarians to receptionists, to benefit from AAHA’s resources through one group membership. Today, over 3,700 practice teams (12-15 % of all veterinary practices in the United States and Canada) are AAHA accredited. Animal Hospitals that choose to be accredited show they are committed to meeting or exceeding standards in nearly 900 standards.
What Can an AAHA Hospital Do For You?
AAHA- Champions for Excellent Care
AAHA sends consultants to AAHA-accredited veterinary hospitals every three years to evaluate hospitals on their adherence to the AAHA Standards of Accreditation. To be eligible for AAHA accreditation, hospitals must be evaluated on approximately 900 standards that assess safety protocols, equipment, veterinary knowledge, and other key areas of pet health care.
In the United states, all human hospitals that serve people with Medicare must be accredited through an accrediting body; they undergo regular reviews and quality checks to ensure they meet standards of quality for every aspect of medical care.
However, not all animal hospitals choose to pursue the AAHA-accreditation process since it is not required by law. When it comes to pet health care, accreditation is voluntary. Accreditation by AAHA is the only way to know a veterinary practice is operating at the highest standards of excellence in animal care.
State and provincial regulations can vary widely-in fact, some states don’t routinely inspect hospitals, only going in for an inspection when a complaint is filed by a pet owner.