AAHA-Accredited

Thompson Animal Medical Center is honored to be among the 15 percent of small animal veterinary clinics in the country that are accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

We are celebrating over 19 years of being an AAHA-accredited practice! Call us for more information about our accreditation.

Did you know that accreditation is required for human hospitals, but voluntary for animal hospitals?

We've chosen to voluntarily go through the process of becoming accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) because we understand that your pet holds a valued place in your heart, and their health is important to us.

AAHA was founded in 1933 and is the only association in North America that provides accreditation to companion animal hospitals. To be accredited by AAHA, our hospital must demonstrate an exceptional level of medical care and client service, and be measured against the most rigorous standards in the veterinary industry. Only 15% of animal hospitals in the United States and Canada are AAHA accredited, and we’re one of them!

During the accreditation process, we are evaluated based on AAHA’s Standards of Accreditation—an extensive list of approximately 900 standards that directly correlate to the care we are providing your pet.

AAHA-accredited hospitals are recognized among the finest in the industry, but more importantly we are dedicated to providing your pet with the best health care possible. For more information about pet health care or AAHA accreditation, feel free to ask a member of our team or visit HealthyPet.com.

Why is this important to you?

AAHA says:

The standards require hospitals to provide diagnostic services (x-ray and laboratory) so that they can quickly and accurately diagnose your pet.

The standards focus on the quality of care in the areas of: anesthesia, contagious diseases, dentistry, pain management, patient care, surgery and emergency care.

Accredited hospitals have an onsite pharmacy (another standards area) so they can begin treatment immediately.

AAHA standards also require that medical records be thorough and complete which helps them to better understand your pet’s medical history and how past health issues might be impacting their current medical status. Want to know more about the American Animal Hospital Association? Check out its website http://www.healthypet.com.

The accreditation is similar to that given to human hospitals by the Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation. As the association says, “AAHA is the only organization that accredits animal hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada."

AAHA-accredited hospitals voluntarily choose to be evaluated on 900 standards in the following areas:

• Orderly & accurate record keeping
• Complete diagnostic capabilities
• Proper anesthetic procedures
• Modern surgical procedures
• Concern for preventive medicine
• Complete pharmaceutical facilities
• Emergency service
• Dental care
• Nursing care
• Properly maintained environment

As Dr. Tom said, “Over the years we’ve kept up with new technology and equipment like ultrasound. We are committed to continuing education. This accreditation confirms the value of this investment for the pets in our practice.”