AAAHC

AAAHC stands for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, a nonprofit organization that provides accreditation and education to ambulatory health care organizations to promote patient safety and quality. It focuses on ensuring that outpatient care settings operating outside hospital environments meet rigorous performance standards.

AAAHC accredits a broad range of ambulatory care settings, including ambulatory surgical centers, endoscopy centers, clinics, physician practices, urgent care centers, and other outpatient programs. Accreditation is based on a set of standards that cover governance and leadership, patient safety and quality improvement, infection prevention and control, medication management, patient rights, environment of care, information management, and privacy.

Organizations seeking accreditation complete an on-site survey conducted by trained surveyors who assess adherence to the standards, review supporting documentation, and interview staff and patients. After the survey, a report with any corrective actions is issued, and accreditation is granted for a cycle typically lasting up to three years subject to ongoing compliance.

In the United States, AAAHC is a CMS-approved accrediting organization for ambulatory care, meaning facilities that achieve AAAHC accreditation meet federal requirements for Medicare and Medicaid participation. This status helps facilities demonstrate compliance with federal expectations for quality and safety to payers and regulators.

Governance is provided by a volunteer board of commissioners and a professional staff, and standards are developed through consensus with input from health care professionals and organizations. AAAHC also offers education and survey-related services to support ongoing quality improvement and performance enhancement in ambulatory care settings.