NASHVILLE-The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) awarded the fifth annual AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year awards during the AAHA conference’s Opening Session on Thursday.
Prescott Animal Hospital of Prescott, Ariz. took home first place for the general practice category. MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets of Worthington, Ohio, was awarded first place for the referral practice category.
The goal of the AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year Award is to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of accredited practice teams. Each entry was evaluated on their most recent accreditation score, mission and vision, practice design, practice team composition, continuing education and training, community service, and more.
AAHA also awarded second, third, and finalist places for the accredited practice awards:
- Second place, general practice: New Frontier Animal Medical Center of Sierra Vista, Ariz.
- Third place, general practice: Kew Beach Veterinary Hospital of Toronto, Ontario
- Finalist, general practice: Jefferson Animal Hospital & Emergency Center of Louisville, Ky.
- Finalist, referral practice: Saint Francis Veterinary Center of Woolwich Township, New Jersey
“AAHA believes that the success of a veterinary practice depends on the entire team working together to provide excellent care for pets and their people,” said Mike Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP, AAHA chief executive officer. “All of these accredited practices are staffed by high-performing veterinary teams who demonstrate a passionate commitment to veterinary excellence.”
Accreditation is a voluntary commitment practices make to their clients and patients, and AAHA is the only organization in the U.S. and Canada that accredits companion animal hospitals based on standards that go above and beyond state regulations. The AAHA Standards of Accreditation, viewed as the standard of veterinary excellence, contain more than 900 individual standards. These areas of focus include patient care and pain management, surgery, pharmacy, laboratory, exam facilities, medical records, cleanliness, emergency services, dental care, diagnostic imaging, anesthesiology, and continuing education.
To maintain accredited status, these practices must continue to be evaluated regularly by AAHA.
About AAHA
Established in 1933, the American Animal Hospital Association is the only organization that accredits veterinary practices throughout the U.S. and Canada for dedication to high standards of veterinary care. AAHA-accredited practices pass regular reviews of AAHA’s stringent accreditation standards that cover patient care, client service and medical protocols. For pet care information or referral to an AAHA-accredited practice, visit aaha.org.
