Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care
Encyclopedia
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), founded in 1979, is an American organisation which accredits ambulatory health care
organizations, including ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery centers, endoscopy centers, and college student health centers, as well as managed care
organizations, such as health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations. AAAHC has been granted "deemed status" to certify ambulatory surgery centers for Medicare by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
.
AAAHC is one of three organizations that accredits office-based surgery practices, the others being the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
and the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities.
In 2009 the AAAHC added the Medical home
to the types of organizations that it accredits. It is the only accrediting body to offer on-site surveys for organizations seeking Medical Home accreditation.
AAAHC continuously reviews its standards and revises current standards and adds new standards as required by the constantly changing health care arena. Each year in August there is a public comment period where these revisions and additions are presented for review and comment by interested parties.
, and the Medical Group Management Association
.
The Accreditation Association has sixteen member organizations:
AAAHC offers three terms of accreditation
: three years, one year, and six months. The terms are assessed by the level of compliance from the organization seeking accreditation. An organization may also receive a deferral or denial of accreditation if compliance is not met.
Ambulatory care
Ambulatory care is a personal health care consultation, treatment or intervention using advanced medical technology or procedures delivered on an outpatient basis Ambulatory care is a personal health care consultation, treatment or intervention using advanced medical technology or procedures...
organizations, including ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery centers, endoscopy centers, and college student health centers, as well as managed care
Managed care
...intended to reduce unnecessary health care costs through a variety of mechanisms, including: economic incentives for physicians and patients to select less costly forms of care; programs for reviewing the medical necessity of specific services; increased beneficiary cost sharing; controls on...
organizations, such as health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations. AAAHC has been granted "deemed status" to certify ambulatory surgery centers for Medicare by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services , previously known as the Health Care Financing Administration , is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services that administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with state governments to administer...
.
AAAHC is one of three organizations that accredits office-based surgery practices, the others being the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
The Joint Commission , formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations , is a United States-based not-for-profit organization that accredits over 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States...
and the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities.
In 2009 the AAAHC added the Medical home
Medical home
The medical home, also known as the patient-centered medical home , is defined as "a health care setting that facilitates partnerships between individual patients, and their personal providers, and when appropriate, the patient’s family". It is "an approach to providing comprehensive primary care...
to the types of organizations that it accredits. It is the only accrediting body to offer on-site surveys for organizations seeking Medical Home accreditation.
AAAHC continuously reviews its standards and revises current standards and adds new standards as required by the constantly changing health care arena. Each year in August there is a public comment period where these revisions and additions are presented for review and comment by interested parties.
History
The Accreditation Association was formed in 1979 by six member organizations including the American College Health Association, the ASC AssociationASC Association
The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association is a nonprofit association in the United States. It represents all aspects of the Ambulatory Surgery Center industry including the physicians, nurses, administrative staff and owners....
, and the Medical Group Management Association
Medical Group Management Association
The Medical Group Management Association , founded in 1926, is the principal voice for medical group practice management professionals in the United States. MGMA serves 22,500 members who lead and manage more than 13,700 organizations in which almost 275,000 physicians practice.MGMA leads...
.
The Accreditation Association has sixteen member organizations:
- Ambulatory Surgery Foundation
- American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery
- American Academy of Dental Group Practice
- American Academy of DermatologyAmerican Academy of DermatologyThe American Academy of Dermatology is the largest organization of dermatologists in the world. It was founded in 1938 and represents 17,000 dermatologists in the United States, Canada, and around the world. The Academy grants Fellowships and Associate Memberships, as well as Fellowships for...
- American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsAmerican Association of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsThe American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons is the non-profit professional association serving the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery, the surgical arm of dentistry....
- American College of GastroenterologyAmerican College of GastroenterologyThe American College of Gastroenterology is a Bethesda, Maryland-based medical association of gastroenterologists.The association was founded in 1932 and holds annual meetings and regional postgraduate continuing education courses, establishes research grants, and publishes The American Journal of...
- American College Health Association
- American College of Mohs Surgery
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American Gastroenterological AssociationAmerican Gastroenterological AssociationThe American Gastroenterological Association "AGA" is a medical association of gastroenterologists. About 17,000 scientists and physicians are members of the organization.-Overview:...
- American Society of AnesthesiologistsAmerican Society of AnesthesiologistsThe American Society of Anesthesiologists is an association of physicians, primarily anesthesiologists, that share a common goal of raising the standard of the medical specialty of anesthesiology and the improvement of patient care by fostering and encouraging education through research and...
- American Society for Dermatologic Surgery
- American Society for Gastrointestinal EndoscopyAmerican Society for Gastrointestinal EndoscopyThe American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, or ASGE, is a professional organization of physicians dedicated to improving endoscopy. The ASGE is made up largely of gastroenterologists from the United States. Included in its membership are endoscopists from other medical specialties as well...
- Medical Group Management AssociationMedical Group Management AssociationThe Medical Group Management Association , founded in 1926, is the principal voice for medical group practice management professionals in the United States. MGMA serves 22,500 members who lead and manage more than 13,700 organizations in which almost 275,000 physicians practice.MGMA leads...
- Society for Ambulatory Anesthesiologists
Accreditation Process
Standards are reviewed and updated annually to keep up with current trends and technologies in the health care arena. AAAHC surveyors are volunteers: physicians, dentists, podiatrists, pharmacists, nurses and administrators who are actively involved with ambulatory health care.AAAHC offers three terms of accreditation
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...
: three years, one year, and six months. The terms are assessed by the level of compliance from the organization seeking accreditation. An organization may also receive a deferral or denial of accreditation if compliance is not met.