AAHA awarded the sixth annual AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year awards during the AAHA conference’s Opening Session on Thursday, March 12.

North Royalton Animal Hospital of North Royalton, Ohio, took home first place for the general practice category. Coral Springs Animal Hospital-Referral of Coral Springs, Fla., was awarded first place for the referral practice category.

The goal of the AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year Award is to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of accredited practice teams.

Each entry was evaluated on its most recent accreditation score, mission and vision, practice design, practice team composition, continuing education and training, community service, and more.

AAHA also awarded finalist places for the accredited general practice awards:

• San Juan Veterinary Hospital of Farmington, N.M.
• True Veterinary Care of Verona, Wis.
• Cleveland Park East Animal Hospital of Simpsonville, S.C.

"AAHA believes that the success of a veterinary practice depends on the entire team working together to provide excellent care for pets and their people," said Mike Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP, AAHA chief executive officer. "All of these accredited practices are staffed by high-performing veterinary teams who demonstrate a passionate commitment to veterinary excellence."

Accreditation is a voluntary commitment practices make to their clients and patients, and 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 regulations.

The AAHA Standards of Accreditation, viewed as the standard of veterinary excellence, contain more than 900 individual standards. These areas of focus include patient care and pain management, surgery, pharmacy, laboratory, exam facilities, medical records, cleanliness, emergency services, dental care, diagnostic imaging, anesthesiology, and continuing education.

To maintain accredited status, these practices must continue to be evaluated regularly by AAHA.

Not all veterinary hospitals are accredited. AAHA-accredited veterinary hospitals hold themselves to a high standard of care and strive to deliver excellent care for pets.