Practice network accreditation
In 2018, the AAHA Board of Directors approved a new model of accreditation designed to standardize management practices throughout the profession with an overall goal of enhancing patient health.
Practice network accreditation refers to the accreditation of a single parent company that owns practices within a practice network. To achieve practice network accreditation, the organization must have no less than 90% of its practices accredited or preaccredited by AAHA. Individual practices within a network go through the exact same process and accreditation evaluation as any other practice; these practices also incur the same fees.
The parent company that owns the practices then undergoes a different evaluation based on a separate set of standards AAHA created specifically for companies that own practice networks. These standards cover areas such as human resources, leadership, culture, and medical autonomy, and are designed to improve practice culture throughout the network's practices by introducing consistency and best practices when it comes to practice management.
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Learn moreFrequently asked questions about practice network accreditation
How does practice network accreditation fit with AAHA’s strategic priorities?
A key strategic priority for AAHA is to promote positive practice culture via AAHA's Culture Initiative. This new accreditation model supports this priority because practice culture standards are woven into the network accreditation standards. Additionally, to achieve practice network accreditation, the parent company agrees to work toward having 100% of their practices AAHA accredited; all these practices will be held to AAHA’s traditional standards of accreditation. Promoting excellence in veterinary medicine is a key part of AAHA’s mission.
How does a practice network become eligible?
For a company to be eligible for accreditation, 90% or more of its practices must be AAHA accredited or preaccredited. Practice network accreditation is designed for companies with centralized management systems and a dedicated chief medical officer.
Is there a minimum number of practices that a practice network must own to qualify?
Yes. A practice network must own at least 10 practices in order to be eligible for practice network accreditation.
What does the accreditation process look like for a practice network?
To become accredited as a practice network:
- The company must sign an agreement with AAHA approximately 12 months in advance.
- The company will be evaluated by AAHA; the company must meet a separate set of standards specifically written for practice network accreditation. These standards are tailored to management topics only (human resources, leadership, culture, medical autonomy, etc.).
- Once a company receives practice network accreditation, it will be re-evaluated annually and must continue to meet the practice network accreditation standards.
On which standards is a practice network evaluated?
The practice network standards are different and separate from AAHA’s traditional practice standards. The practice network standards are nonmedical in nature and cover human resources, practice management, practice culture, financial management, medical autonomy, marketing, and more.
Once the initial evaluation is complete, how do practice networks maintain their accreditation?
The central office will be re-evaluated on an annual basis to ensure continued compliance with the practice network accreditation standards.
Do practices within practice networks receive discounts on accreditation?
No. Practices under the practice network umbrella receive no discounts or special treatment compared to non-network practices. All accredited practices incur the same costs.
Can nonaccredited practices within an accredited practice network promote themselves as AAHA accredited?
No. Only practices accredited under the traditional AAHA Standards of Accreditation may promote themselves as AAHA accredited. Plus, 90% or more of the practices within a practice network must be AAHA accredited or preaccredited in order for that network to be eligible for practice network accreditation.
Will nonaccredited practices within an accredited practice network be displayed in the AAHA-Accredited Hospital Locator?
No. Only practices accredited under the traditional AAHA Standards of Accreditation will be displayed in the search results for the AAHA-Accredited Hospital Locator.
What does the traditional AAHA accreditation process look like for a practice within a practice network?
Individual practices within a network go through the exact same process and accreditation evaluation as practices outside of a network. All practices are evaluated on the same AAHA Standards of Accreditation and must meet the same requirements to achieve accreditation.
What happens if practices within a practice network do not achieve traditional AAHA accreditation?
A practice network must have a minimum of 90% of its hospitals accredited or preaccredited. If the network falls below the 90% accreditation requirement due to individual practices not achieving accreditation, the practice network will no longer have a practice network accreditation designation.