The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is a non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 for companion animal veterinarian

Veterinarian

A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....

s. It was established in 1933. The association develops benchmarks of excellence, business practice standards, publications and educational programs. AAHA serves approximately 6,000 practice teams in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 that are composed of more than 47,000 individual veterinary care providers. Over 3,300 of the total practice teams are accredited.

Accreditation

To become American Animal Hospital Association-accredited, practices undergo a rigorous evaluation process to ensure they meet the AAHA Standards of Accreditation, which include the areas of: patient care, diagnostic imaging

Medical imaging

Medical imaging is the technique and process used to create images of the human body for clinical purposes or medical science...

, laboratory

Medical laboratory

A medical laboratory or clinical laboratory is a laboratory where tests are done on clinical specimens in order to get information about the health of a patient as pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.-Departments:...

, pain management

Pain management

Pain management is a branch of medicine employing an interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those living with pain. The typical pain management team includes medical practitioners, clinical psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists,...

, pharmacy

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...

, safety, surgery

Veterinary surgery

Veterinary surgery is surgery performed on animals by veterinarians. Advanced surgical procedures such as joint replacement , fracture repair, ACL treatment, oncologic surgery, herniated disc treatment, complicated gastrointestinal or urogenital procedures, kidney transplant, skin grafts,...

, client service, anesthesia

Veterinary anesthesia

Veterinary anesthesia is anesthesia performed on animals by a veterinarian. Anesthesia is used for a wider range of circumstances in animals than in people, due to animals' unwillingness to cooperate with certain diagnostic or therapeutic procedures...

, contagious disease

Contagious disease

A contagious disease is a subset category of infectious diseases , which are easily transmitted by physical contact with the person suffering the disease, or by their secretions or objects touched by them....

, continuing education

Continuing education

Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...

, dentistry

Veterinary dentistry

Veterinary dentistry is the field of dentistry applied to the care of animals. It is the art and science of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions, diseases, and disorders of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial region, and its associated structures as it relates to animals.In the United...

, examination facilities, medical record

Medical record

The terms medical record, health record, and medical chart are used somewhat interchangeably to describe the systematic documentation of a single patient's medical history and care across time within one particular health care provider's jurisdiction....

s, leadership and emergency/urgent care.

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External links

• AAHAnet.org Official member website
• HealthyPet.com Association's official pet owner website