FOR CONSUMERS
The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. (AAAASF) was established in 1980. Its primary mission is to ensure the highest quality patient care in the ambulatory surgery setting.
Today, with more than 1100 accredited outpatient surgical facilities, the not-for-profit AAAASF is the largest accrediting organization of its kind in the nation.
Setting
the
Standard
for
Quality
Patient Care
These days, there is more to having
surgery than just selecting your surgeon.
AAAASF has designed an accrediting
program to help provide patients with the
assurance of safety and quality in all aspects
of their outpatient surgery experience.
To achieve this goal, every AAAASF-accredited
ambulatory surgery facility must meet
stringent national standards for equipment,
operating room safety, personnel and
surgeon credentials. The experts at AAAASF
know that maintaining safety and
quality in the ambulatory surgery facility
is a dynamic process, requiring
constant review and revision of standards to
reflect the current state-of-the-art.
As the leading accrediting organization,
AAAASF has developed the systems to
effectively monitor and implement the
latest advances in outpatient care delivery advances that directly benefit patients.
Quality
AAAASF accreditation has been
recognized as the Gold Standard.
The vast majority of ambulatory surgery facilities
are not accredited, operating independently
of any peer review and inspection process. A
growing number of states throughout the country,
however, are recognizing the need for mandatory
accreditation. AAAASF is in the forefront of
legislative efforts to provide patients with safety
and quality assurance in the outpatient
surgery setting.
In 1996, California became the first state to
mandate accreditation for all outpatient
facilities that administer sedation or general
anesthesia. AAAASF was instrumental in the
development of the California legislation (AB595),
as well as subsequent laws and regulations
adopted by states such as Florida, Georgia,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas. AAAASF
accreditation has been accepted by State
Departments of Health in lieu of state
licensure, and AAAASF has been approved
to inspect facilities for certification by Medicare.
AAAASF accreditation guidelines have been
recognized as the gold standard. providing the
highest level of safety and quality in ambulatory
surgery care.
Many private insurance carriers recognize
accreditation by AAAASF for reimbursement of
covered procedures.
Safety
AAAASF-accredited facilities must
meet stringent requirements.
All AAAASF-accredited facilities must:
- comply with applicable local, state, and
federal regulations including licensure, fire safety,
sanitation and building codes for the protection
of patients and medical personnel;
- adhere to federal laws and regulations
affecting their operation such as OSHA
blood-borne pathogens standards, hazardous
waste standards, the Americans with Disabilities
Act and HIPAA;
- utilize advanced instruments and monitoring
devices for patient safety during surgery and in
the recovery period;
- All individuals using the facility must meet one of the following criteria:
- A Doctor of Medicine certified or eligible for certification by one of the member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS medical or surgical specialty).
- A Doctor of Osteopathy certified or eligible for certification by the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOABS).
- A podiatrist certified or eligible for certification by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery (ABPS).
- An oral and maxillofacial surgeon certified or eligible for certification by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS), and
- provide for the administration of general
anesthesia, when appropriate, by a
board-certified or board-eligible anesthesiologist
or a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Other
personnel assisting in surgery and
providing care for the patient in the recovery
room include specially-trained and certified
surgical technicians, registered nurses, and
licensed practical nurses.
