AAHA names 2019 AAHA-Accredited Practices of the Year

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana—Saint Francis Veterinary Center has been named the 2019 AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year, and Pet Specialists of Monterey has been named the 2019 AAHA-Accredited Referral Practice of the year, by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

Saint Francis Veterinary Center of Woolwich Township, NJ, and Pet Specialists of Monterey of Del Rey Oaks, CA received the first-place award in their respective categories at Connexity by AAHA, AAHA’s annual member conference, on September 12.

Finalists for the AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year award included:

  • Canobie Lake Veterinary Hospital of Windham, NH
  • Ralston Veterinary Clinic of Omaha, NE
  • Veterinary Center of Parker of Parker, CO

The AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year Award and AAHA-Accredited Referral Practice of the Year Award are designed to recognize the outstanding achievements of accredited veterinary practice teams and celebrate ongoing advancements in veterinary medicine. Accredited veterinary hospitals are known for their excellence, and these two awards are highly competitive. This year marks the tenth year of the awards.

The AAHA Awards Committee evaluates each team on its most recent accreditation score, mission and vision, practice team composition, continuing education and training, community service, and more.

“These practices all embrace the true spirit of AAHA accreditation. Their dedication to providing quality care for their animal patients while simultaneously working to build a strong culture of excellence within their team is inspiring,” said AAHA Chief Executive Officer Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP (Emeritus). “We are proud to have these practices be models of excellence within the AAHA-accredited family.”

Accreditation is a voluntary commitment practices make to their clients and patients, and only 12-15 percent of animal hospitals in the U.S. and Canada choose to undergo AAHA’s rigorous evaluation and pass to become AAHA accredited. Nearly 60 percent of the pet-owning public believes their veterinary hospital is accredited when it is not.

AAHA is the only organization in the U.S. and Canada that accredits companion animal hospitals based on standards that go above and beyond state and provincial regulations. AAHA-accredited veterinary hospitals hold themselves to a high standard of care and consistently strive for excellence.