INSIDE AAHA
13
Alabama now accepts AAHA accreditation in lieu of state inspection
T
he Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (ASBVME) recently
passed a motion that allows veterinary hospitals to skip an inspection by the ASBVME if they have already passed an evaluation by AAHA. The motion, approved Dec. 19, 2012,
during the ASBVME board meeting and effective as of that date, specifies that an ASBVME inspector will still visit clinics at their 3-year rotation, but clinics that have passed an AAHA evaluation will be exempt from the ASBVME inspection. “The Alabama Practice Act allows
the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to issue a premise permit to any premise which is accred- ited by a recognized organization whose standards meet or exceed minimum board standards as established by the administrative code. Clearly AAHA standards exceed those minimum stan- dards,” said Dr. Robert E. Pitman, ASB- VME president. According to Pitman, the motion
benefits hospitals that are already AAHA-accredited as well as enables
ASBVME evaluators to make better use of their time. “This benefits member hospitals by
not requiring a redundant inspection. It can be considered a member benefit of AAHA and encourage other hospitals that may be considering AAHA member- ship to take the big step,” Pitman said. “Also, it allows for more efficient use of our evaluators’ time by not having to inspect member hospitals that exceed state standards.” The ASBVME decision reaffirms that
AAHA’s 900-plus standards set a high standard for how animal hospital hospi- tals should be run, said Dr. Kate Knutson, AAHA president. “I am so pleased that Alabama recog-
nizes the rigorous nature and the stan- dard of medical excellence required to meet the AAHA accreditation standards,” Knutson said. “The 900-plus standards of AAHA go above and beyond any states’ mandated regulations.” Knutson encouraged other states to
take note of Alabama’s decision and con- sider how it can potentially streamline
their inspection process, as well as allow them to focus some of their resources on other endeavors. “We applaud Alabama and would
encourage any other states to follow their lead. It does not make sense to require a hospital which has met the AAHA stan- dards to have to go through state stan- dards as they are not as rigorous,” Knut- son said. Pitman also expressed his view that
other states might be well-served by fol- lowing Alabama’s lead and considering adopting similar changes to their rules. “I do not know of other states con-
sidering this change, but there are many reasons to do it. I think other states will at least consider it,” he said.
AAHA and IDEXX Laboratories Announce Agreement to Advance the Client-Centric Animal Hospital
T
he American Animal Hospital Association and IDEXX Labora- tories, Inc. are working together to revolutionize the way vet-
erinary professionals practice medicine and communicate with their clients using innovative information management tools. AAHA has combined forces with IDEXX in a new preferred
business provider agreement to offer the IDEXX Cornerstone® Practice Management System and IDEXX Pet Health Network® Pro client communication service, which together form the first fully integrated Client and Practice Management System. The client-centric approach recognizes the important bond between the hospital and its clients, the pet owners, as a critical element of providing the best care to pets. Recent analysis by AAHA and
IDEXX showed that an integrated, client-centric approach— including practice marketing, regular newsletters, client edu- cation, and post-visit report cards—generates higher word of mouth, stronger pet owner loyalty and higher compliance to care recommendations. “AAHA and IDEXX are leading the industry in working to
build the future generation of client-centric practice manage- ment software,” said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP, AAHA executive director and chief executive officer. “Cornerstone, Pet Health Network Pro and this new integrated approach will allow veterinary professionals the freedom to run their practice from start to finish.”
Trends magazine, May 2013
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60