AAAHC Reduces Accreditation Fee for Smaller Dental Practices

Program Tailored to Meet Needs of Office-Based Surgery Centers
Posted: August 20, 2012
[August 9, 2012] – The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC <http://www.aaahc.org/> ) has announced an accreditation program that is priced to be cost-effective for smaller dental practices, and is tailored to the specific needs of practices that offer office-based surgery (OBS).  The AAAHC defines an OBS center as an organization that has no more than four dentists and no more than two operating/procedure rooms.

“As health care evolves, new types of organizations with different needs and perspectives have sought accreditation,” said John Burke, PhD, AAAHC president and CEO.  “In response, AAAHC has developed an innovative program to meet the unique needs of dental office-based surgery centers, regardless of their dental surgical specialty.”

Features of the OBS Accreditation program include:  

  • The AAAHC OBS Standards are written as statements describing the characteristics required of an accreditable organization. The Accreditation Handbook for Office-Based Surgery with Review Guidelines is a tool that gives OBS organizations a clearer understanding of how compliance with each of the Standards will be assessed.
  • A reduction in accreditation fees has been made to reflect the smaller size of OBS organizations compared to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).  The total cost of $3,500 includes a $775 application fee and a $2,725 fee for the onsite survey and related activities.  All subsequent surveys also cost $3,500.  

“Accreditation by AAAHC reassures patients, third-party payers and others that dental surgical care is based on nationally-recognized standards,” said Burke.  “It enhances dentists’ profiles and prestige in their communities and among their peers.”

The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), founded in 1979, is the leader in ambulatory health care accreditation with more than 5,000 organizations accredited nationwide. AAAHC accredits a variety of ambulatory health care organizations, including ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery centers, college student health centers, managed care organizations, military health care clinics, large medical and dental practices and medical homes.  In 2009, AAAHC launched an international accreditation program in Costa Rica and will expand accreditation to other countries.  The AAAHC serves as an advocate for the provision of high-quality health care through the development of nationally recognized standards and through its survey and accreditation programs. AAAHC accreditation is recognized as a symbol of quality by third-party payers, medical organizations, liability insurance companies, state and federal agencies and the public.  A separate operating entity, the Accreditation Association for Hospital/Health Systems Inc. (AAHHS), was created by AAAHC in 2012 to offer accreditation tailored to the needs of small hospitals. For more information, visit www.aaahc.org <http://www.aaahc.org> .
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