VMG and AAHA Release Updated Veterinary Chart of Accounts

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Veterinary Management Groups (VMG) and American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) today announced the release of the updated VMG-AAHA Chart of Accounts, a modernized financial framework designed to help veterinary practices improve financial organization, consistency, benchmarking, and decision-making.

Developed through a collaborative effort between VMG, AAHA, and industry subject matter experts, the updated Chart of Accounts reflects the evolving realities of today’s veterinary practices and provides a more relevant, standardized structure for categorizing revenue and expenses. The latest version was also reviewed by leading professional organizations in veterinary medicine, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, and VetPartners, helping ensure broad alignment across the profession.

The resource is intended to support veterinary hospital owners, managers, accountants, consultants, and advisors in creating cleaner financial reporting and stronger business insight. By improving consistency in how practices track and interpret financial performance, the updated Chart of Accounts can also strengthen benchmarking and help practices make more informed operational and strategic decisions.

“Financial clarity is foundational to running a healthy veterinary practice,” said Matthew Salois, President of VMG. “This update is about giving practices a better financial framework for understanding where they are, how they are performing, and where opportunities exist to improve. Good decisions require good structure, and this work helps create that structure.”

“The Chart of Accounts is much more than an accounting tool; it is a management tool,” said Beth Scott, CPA and Partner at KSM. “When practices have a clearer, more consistent way to organize their financial information, they are in a much better position to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and make sound business decisions. This update was designed to better reflect how veterinary practices operate today and to support more meaningful financial analysis.”

The updated framework includes revisions intended to better align with how modern veterinary practices operate, including greater clarity around key revenue and expense categories and a more useful structure for financial analysis and benchmarking.

“Veterinary practices need financial tools that reflect the complexity and reality of modern operations,” said Brady Beale, VMD, DACVO, AAHA CEO. “We are proud to partner on a resource that helps practices create stronger financial visibility and informed business decisions.”

The updated Chart of Accounts is part of a broader shared commitment by VMG and AAHA to support the long-term success, sustainability, and economic health of veterinary practices.

In addition to the updated framework itself, VMG and AAHA have also developed supporting materials and educational resources to help practices and advisors understand the updates and begin implementation.

The updated VMG-AAHA Chart of Accounts and related resources are available at:

https://www.myvmg.com/knowledge-center/aaha-vmg-chart-of-accounts/

https://www.aaha.org/resources/chart-of-accounts/

About Veterinary Management Groups (VMG)
Veterinary Management Groups is a membership community serving independent veterinary practice owners through peer groups, benchmarking, education, leadership development, and strategic resources designed to help practices thrive.

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.

About KSM
KSM is a leading advisory, tax, and audit firm serving businesses across a range of industries, including veterinary medicine. KSM works with veterinary organizations and practices to strengthen financial reporting, operational insight, and long-term business performance.

For more information, contact:

Andrea Langley
Marketing and Digital Media Lead
Veterinary Management Groups
[email protected]
(678) 395-3470

Wendy Cobrda
VP Marketing and Digital Strategy
American Animal Hospital Association
[email protected]
(303) 970-9672