WHAT IS THE AMERICAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION (AAHA)?
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The Standard of Veterinary Excellence.
Established in 1933, the AAHA has focused on promoting high-quality standards for the constantly progressing segment of small-animal practice through accreditation and other initiatives.
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The original directors were convinced that it was necessary to provide better protocols and methods than were generally available for small-animal practices.
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That philosophy is still alive today as a guiding principle of the AAHA. It has helped inspire and sustain the growth and development, not only of the AAHA but also of the practice of small-animal medicine throughout Canada and the United States.
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AAHA’s MISSION.
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“Enhance the abilities of veterinarians to provide quality medical care to companion animals.”
“Enable veterinarians to successfully conduct their practices and maintain their facilities with high standards of excellence.”
“Meet the public’s needs as they relate to the delivery of small-animal veterinary medicine.”
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The AAHA Standards of Accreditation were developed to push this mission and has established itself as the leader in developing benchmarks of excellence, business practice standards, informative publications, and educational programs – all designed to help veterinary practices thrive.
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AAHA’s VISION.
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“Seeks to lead the profession in the provision of the highest quality of care for companion animals by improving standards of care, championing accreditation, and supporting our member practices in all aspects of this pursuit.”
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The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is the ONLY organization to certify animal veterinary hospitals across Canada and the US. Today, more than 4500 practices (12-15% of all veterinary practices) are AAHA-accredited.
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More information about the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) can be found at aaha.org
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WHY AAHA ACCREDITATION IS IMPORTANT TO ERINDALE ANIMAL HOSPITAL.
At Erindale Animal Hospital, we believe becoming an AAHA-accredited veterinary practice is about operating at the highest level. Our dedicated staff is constantly looking to make things better.
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AAHA Accreditation serves a variety of purposes.
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It recognizes and quantitatively certifies excellent veterinary practices in Canada and the United States.
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It helps good veterinary hospitals become great ones by bringing out the maximum potential of the practice. AAHA provides the framework and support of running a highly professional practice.
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Practices want the best for their patients and pet owners, and AAHA provides resources for our team to deliver the best medicine.
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The accreditation process is challenging, rigorous, voluntary, and not guaranteed. When we made the promise to step up to become accredited, we were making a statement that our practice is committed to excellence to our clients in Saskatoon.
To become AAHA Accredited, we were required to undergo a rigorous evaluation process to ensure we met ALL of the protocols prescribed by the AAHA.
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These include these areas:
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Antimicrobials
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Diagnostic Imaging
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Diabetes Management
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Fluid Therapy
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Infection Control, Prevention and Biosecurity
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Mentoring and Continuing Education
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Nutritional Assessment
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Oncology
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Pain Management
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Preventative Healthcare
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Senior and End-of-Life Care
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Weight Management
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Canine and Feline Life Stages
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Anesthesia
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Dental Care
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Medical Records Management
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Emergency/Urgent Care
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To maintain accredited status, we undergo a wide-ranging, on-site evaluation every three years to certify that we are compliant with the AAHA’s mandatory standards.
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Since AAHA was founded, everything they represent has been done has been with one goal in mind: to help veterinary professionals provide exceptional care for companion animals.
We share this goal.
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At Erindale Animal Hospital, we are driven to ensure that your pet is happy, healthy, and has access to the latest in veterinary medicine so you and your pet can enjoy a long, wonderful life together.
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