Spring is eluding us here on the North Shore and just like the weather outside, our clinic is a flurry of activity. We are preparing for our A.A.H.A. inspection which will be done this April. Being an A.A.H.A. accredited clinic, we are held to a higher standard which we take pride in. We voluntarily became a member of this association and choose to be evaluated on numerous levels to be able to provide the best care possible. I just wanted to take this month’s blog to explain what A.A.H.A. is and what it means to you as pet owners.
So what is A.A.H.A.? It is the American Animal Hospital Association which was founded in 1933. The leaders of the association wanted to create a standard of care for companion animals. Today A.A.H.A. provides more than just a standard of care; they also provide informative publications and educational programs. The association’s mission statement explains its purpose: to assist veterinarians to provide exceptional medical care, to ensure that veterinary facilities are held to a high standard of excellence and to meet the needs of pet owners as it relates to veterinary medicine. The number of A.A.H.A. accredited clinics in Canada is about 7%. However there are even fewer clinics in B.C. that choose to be held to this higher standard of care, which is less than 1% of all small animal veterinary clinics in the province.
What does this mean for our clinic? Well, a lot to put it plain and simple. To be an A.A.H.A. accredited clinic, everything from how we document and keep records to how the hospital is staged, is scrutinized to ensure quality. As well, the staff has to be held to a higher standard. We are constantly being educated in safety protocols (such as radiology as we have a digital x-ray machine onsite), health protocols for the workplace (such as WHMIS and CPR training) and of course education about conditions, diseases, and treatment for the animals that we take care of. I personally love this aspect of the accreditation. I like knowing that my employer voluntarily advocates for my safety and my education.
What does this mean to you as pet owners? First of all, you can take pride that your animal is being cared for by a clinic that chooses to be scrutinized and inspected for quality of care. Being A.A.H.A. accredited, we provide educational resources to pet owners. If you have questions about anything, such as vaccines, we will discuss this with you and give you reading materials so can make an educated decision on what is best for you and your pet. Our clinic is not only somewhere that you take your animal when they need a vaccination or when they get sick. We are a resource to you. If you want to learn more about anything, just ask and we will assist you. The accreditation also means that your pet is getting more than just the bare minimum care. We hold ourselves to standards of excellence and we will always strive to go above and beyond for you and your pet.
Starting out in this business without the extensive education that my colleagues have was pretty intimidating. But working here, we are constantly having educational meetings or going to conferences to broaden our knowledge which I think is fantastic. Having standards helps not only our clinic, but all the A.A.H.A. accredited hospitals to provide the best care for animals, the safest work environment for all of the staff. So when I say that we take pride in being A.A.H.A. accredited, you know that we really put in a lot of time and effort and we are truly proud of this.
