AAHA Accreditation

When only the best will do

When quality medical care matters, clients take their pets to AAHA-accredited hospitals. There are 3,000 accredited hospitals in North America, and we are one of them. Superior care is clearly a priority for you and your family, so it should be reassuring to know that our hospital made the grade. We passed a rigorous review that includes more than 900 standards in the following areas: quality of care; client service; diagnostic & pharmacy; management; medical records and facility.

Choosing our AAHA-accredited hospital assures you that we have the staff, equipment, medical procedures, and facilities that AAHA believes are vital for delivering high-quality veterinary care.

A sign of excellence

AAHA accreditation is a trusted sign of excellence. It shows that veterinary professionals are knowledgeable, equipment is well maintained and updated, medical procedures are cutting-edge, and facilities deliver high-quality veterinary care. To maintain accredited status, we voluntarily undergo comprehensive on-site evaluations about every three years.

It takes an extra effort, but we know that AAHA accreditation keeps us at the front of the veterinary pack. We are dedicated to providing your pet with the best health care possible. Take pride in the knowledge that your pets are in great hands.

The facts about Accreditation

In the United States, all hospitals that serve people with Medicare must be accredited through an accrediting body; that is, they must undergo regular reviews and quality checks to ensure they meet standards of quality for every aspect of medical care. You might be surprised to learn that the same is not true for veterinary hospitals. When it comes to pet health care, accreditation is voluntary. In fact, only about 15% of veterinary hospitals, clinics, or practices are accredited. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is the only organization that accredits veterinary hospitals — both general and specialty practices — in the United States and Canada.

The process of earning AAHA Accreditation

Practices are evaluated against a pool of more than 900 standards that represent best practices in veterinary care and hospital management. A national task force of veterinary professionals created and continually updates the standards to reflect the latest developments and improvements in patient care, surgery, medical records, cleanliness, staff safety, leadership, and a host of other areas essential to excellent patient care.

After applying to become accredited, a veterinary practice usually spends several weeks or months examining and fine-tuning its systems, processes, and protocols to be sure every aspect of the hospital meets AAHA’s standards of quality. Often the whole practice team becomes involved, which builds collaboration across the entire clinic — an important factor in quality pet care.

When the practice is ready, AAHA sends consultants — trained professionals with veterinary backgrounds — to conduct an on-site evaluation. Practices are awarded points for each standard they meet, and they must amass a certain score in order to pass the evaluation. Accreditation is by no means guaranteed, and practices that pass evaluations often host parties for staff and clients to celebrate achieving the milestone. To maintain accredited status, clinics must be re-evaluated every three years. This ensures that every AAHA-accredited practice represents the most current thinking about what constitutes the best health and medical care for pets. Pet owners can feel reassured about the care their pets receive at AAHA-accredited hospitals.