Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center Considered Tops
Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center
Top National Contender for Prestigious “Practice of the Year” Award
Charlottesville, VA – Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center has been invited to participate in the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Accredited Practice of the Year Awards. The AAHA is an international association of more than 36,000 veterinary care providers that treat companion animals. Established in 1933, AAHA is well known among veterinarians and pet owners for its stringent standards for hospitals and pet health care, and is the only organization that accredits animal hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Participating in the Practice of the Year Awards is a prestigious honor that is only extended to veterinary practices that have received AAHA accreditation, which in itself is no easy feat. Less than 10% of AAHA’s members are accredited – a designation that requires compliance with a staggering set of 900 service and facility standards widely accepted as the hallmarks of superior patient care. And for those hospitals that hoped to rest on their laurels, think again. Accreditation has an expiration date. Hospitals must pass an on-site evaluation administered by an AAHA consultant every two years in order to maintain their standing as an accredited practice.
AAHA accreditation starts with a three-to-nine month application process that requires every member of the practice’s team participate in a review of protocols and procedures to refine and improve service offerings in five areas; quality of care, diagnostics and pharmacy, management, medical records, and facility. Those practices that are found to be in compliance with the policies and standards requirements established by the association are awarded AAHA-Accredited Practice status.
Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center’s dedicated team of veterinary professionals has participated in the hospital evaluation and accreditation program for 25 years, and has never failed to achieve accreditation status. While participation in the AAHA accreditation program requires continuing evaluation, Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center’s consistently strong scores and longstanding history with the program means they are only evaluated every four years instead of every two.
This year their accreditation evaluation score was impressive enough to qualify them for candidacy in the AAHA Practice of the Year Awards – they received the highest evaluation score in their five-state region. They are now in the running for one of six awards to be presented during the 2010 AAHA yearly conference in Long Beach, CA. Winners will be notified by February, but won’t know what award they’ve received — first, second or third place, plus three honorable mentions — until the final announcement is made at March’s conference.
About Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center
Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center is a full-service animal hospital, committed to pet health. The facility is equipped with an in-house lab, allowing for prompt, accurate results and the most efficient treatment—capable of handling almost any medical or surgical problem. Services include hospitalization, intensive care for seriously ill patients, diagnostic testing, routine and specialized radiographic procedures, and dental services. The hospital’s equipment is state-of-the-art right down to their filing system—pets’ electronic medical records are available at the click of a mouse. For more information please call (434) 973-6146 or visit www.albemarlevet.com.
About the American Animal Hospital Association
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. More than 3,000 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 www.healthypet.com.