The Fort Drum Veterinary Treatment Facility recently joined the ranks of pet health care centers accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
Only 12-15 percent of animal hospitals in the United States have completed the accreditation evaluation process.
In the United States, all human hospitals that serve people with Medicare must be accredited through an accrediting body; they undergo regular reviews and quality checks to ensure they meet standards of quality for every aspect of medical care.
When it comes to pet health care, however, accreditation is voluntary.
The process is rigorous and time-consuming, and not every veterinary hospital staff wants to go through the process. The Fort Drum VTF staff began the accreditation process with a self-evaluation.
"We self-evaluated our facility and current operating standards to assess where we were compared to the AAHA standards," said Capt. Laura Diem, Fort Drum VTF officer in charge.
"Areas we identified as needing improvement were noted and appropriate action was taken," she added. "Fortunately, the Army Veterinary Corps already maintains very high standards, so adapting what we already do to fit the AAHA standards was not a very lengthy process."
Accreditation by AAHA means that an animal hospital has been evaluated on approximately 900 standards of veterinary excellence. To maintain accreditation, hospitals undergo a rigorous review by veterinary experts every three years.
State regulations can vary widely. In fact, some states don't routinely inspect hospitals, only going in for an inspection when a complaint is filed by a pet owner.
AAHA accreditation is considered the standard for veterinary excellence, and it does not vary between states or provinces. (AAHA accredits hospitals in both the U.S. and Canada.)
After the Fort Drum VTF's period of preparation, an AAHA veterinary professional conducted the accreditation evaluation, which occurred in December.
"The veterinary clinic was inspected, operating functions were observed, numerous questions were asked regarding how the clinic is run, and medical records were reviewed as well as other administrative paperwork," Diem said.
At the completion of the evaluation, the AAHA representative offered recommendations aimed at ensuring the Fort Drum VTF was focused on continually improving the clinic.
"Because veterinary medicine does not have set standards of accreditation compared to human medicine, striving to obtain and maintain AAHA accreditation ensures we continually seek excellence, not only in the actual practice of medicine -- which is definitely a large part of the process -- but to also ensure that the way we perform our jobs is at the highest standard to ensure we keep our people (Soldiers and employees), clients and patients as healthy and safe as possible," Diem said.
The Fort Drum VTF staff takes pride in caring for Soldiers' four-legged companions and constantly strives to provide the best care possible.
"This accreditation is a symbol of the efforts we make to be an excellent veterinary clinic and displays the military's commitment to Soldiers and their Families by providing excellent care for their pets," Diem said.
This is the first time the Fort Drum VTF has been accredited.
To make an appointment for your pet to be seen at the Fort Drum VTF, call the clinic at (315) 772-4262.
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