AAHA Completes First Comprehensive Overhaul of its Standards of Accreditation

LAKEWOOD, CO, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- LAKEWOOD, CO. — For the first time in its 90-year history, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has completed a comprehensive refresh of its Standards of Accreditation, the benchmarks that define excellence in veterinary medicine.

“I'm incredibly proud of the work that the AAHA team is putting in to making sure our standards reflect veterinary medicine today. AAHA's Standards have a storied history and have grown with the industry over the years. As veterinary medicine continues progress and advance, our focus is for this project to reflect that growth,” said Jessica Vogelsang, DVM, AAHA Chief Medical Officer.

While the Standards have received incremental updates and changes throughout the years, this is the first time AAHA has conducted a complete top-to-bottom review. Over the course of 18 months, AAHA’s Director of Standards worked in collaboration with subject matter experts, AAHA staff, the Board of Directors, and the Practice Accreditation Committee to review its more than 1200 standards, recommending nearly 400 for revision. The goal was to ensure they reflect modern best practices, support veterinary teams, and remain practical in today’s veterinary landscape.

Following this extensive review, AAHA’s Board of Directors approved and implemented more than 250 revisions to the Standards. Updates range from clarifying language and streamlining categories to strengthening focus on hospital operations, employee relations, and evidence-based best practices.

While the accreditation and reaccreditation processes will remain unchanged, accredited hospitals may notice that some standards have been reorganized, streamlined, or modernized. These revisions are designed to make the Standards more relevant and easier to apply without compromising AAHA’s rigorous expectations for veterinary excellence.

The refreshed Standards of Accreditation underscore AAHA’s enduring promise: to advance veterinary excellence and support practices in delivering the highest-quality care for pets and their families.

“Though several of the standards have been revised, we want to ensure existing and future members view this project with the same intention we did. That landscape of medicine and practice operations continues to shift towards a brighter future for our patients. I take pride in everyone’s current and future contributions for what AAHA stands for, the excellence that is veterinary medicine,” said Devon Crandell, AAHA’s Director of Standards.

The refreshed Standards will go into effect in late 2026. They will be available for preview to members by the end of this year.

For more information about the AAHA Standards of Accreditation, visit aaha.org/accreditation.

About the American Animal Hospital Association
Since 1933, the American Animal Hospital Association has been the only organization to accredit veterinary hospitals across the United States and Canada based on standards linked to high-quality medicine and compassionate care. With accreditation partners in South Korea, Japan, and China, this initiative is expanding internationally. Our mission is to simplify the path to excellence in veterinary practices. In veterinary medicine, accreditation is optional. The AAHA-accredited logo serves as the most reliable sign that a practice has undergone evaluation by an independent party. Look for the AAHA logo at your local animal hospital or use the accredited hospital locator on aaha.org to find one.
For more information about AAHA, visit aaha.org.

Wendy Cobrda
American Animal Hospital Association
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