AAHA Accredits More Than 30 Hospitals in 3 Months

Since 1933, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has been as the accrediting authority for companion animal hospitals in the United States and Canada.

Nearly 70 hospitals have received accreditation since October 2017, with 33 earning accreditation in the first 3 months of 2018. Still, the association estimates that only 12% to 15% of all veterinary practices in the United States and Canada are AAHA accredited. To receive accreditation, hospitals must undergo regular comprehensive evaluations by AAHA veterinary experts who assess the practices on approximately 900 standards of veterinary care.

In a recent Consumers Advocate article about the association, Bo Williamson, DVM, owner of Tennessee Avenue Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, which has the distinction of being the oldest continuously accredited AAHA in the world, said, “Accreditation is a way to force yourself to be the best you can be. Owners and employees of accredited hospitals constantly look to make things better.”

According to AAHA, accredited hospitals receive ongoing support from the accreditation team and access to continuing education and recruitment services.

In a 2016 study conducted by Trone Brand Energy about accreditation awareness, 85 percent of pet owners said they would choose an AAHA-accredited hospital over a nonaccredited practice. Additionally, more than half of pet owners would be willing to pay more for the assurance that comes from choosing an AAHA-accredited hospital.

Hospitals interested in learning more about the accreditation process can visit the AAHA website.