NAMES IN THE NEWS

AAAHC Marks 45th Anniversary

MARCH 22, 2024

The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) of Deerfield, Illinois, toasts its 45th anniversary this month, commemorating four-and-a-half decades of growth and leadership in the ambulatory healthcare industry and celebrating the work of its 6,700 accredited organizations, according to a release.

Not yet a year in its newly established Deerfield office, AAAHC is poised to continue its legacy of advancing ambulatory healthcare, growing alongside the industry it serves. This anniversary highlights the organization's achievements and signifies the dedication of AAAHC surveyors and staff to continuous improvement and innovation in healthcare standards.

“I want to congratulate our entire team as we celebrate AAAHC's 45th anniversary together and look toward the future opportunities we have to further drive growth and innovation,” said Noel Adachi, president and chief executive officer of AAAHC, in the release. “In the past year, we completed our transition to a bright, new corporate office, which serves as a unifying hub for our dedicated and growing team of professionals. This thoughtfully selected and intelligently designed location not only maximizes engagement opportunities but also embodies the spirit of our AAAHC 1095 Strong, quality every day.”

In addition to its 45th anniversary, AAAHC will celebrate the annual Bernard A. Kershner Innovations in Quality Improvement Award program, which returns to its traditional December event during AAAHC’s Achieving Accreditation conference in Las Vegas, according to the release. For more than 20 years, AAAHC has recognized outstanding achievements in quality improvement within accredited ambulatory healthcare organizations, including primary care and surgical/procedural. AAAHC will congratulate all finalists and announce winners during this much-anticipated event.

“As we celebrate the 45th anniversary, we reflect on the visionary leadership of our founding board and their commitment to advancing quality in ambulatory healthcare,” said Jan Davidson, RN, AAAHC board chair, in the release. “From the inception of AAAHC to the legacy of the Kershner QI Awards, we honor the dedication and innovation that have shaped our organization. Looking ahead, we remain steadfast in our goals to continuously elevate standards, empower healthcare organizations and forge a brighter future for patient care and safety.”

As part of this milestone year and the recent introduction of v43 Standards, AAAHC will launch the 1095 Engage accreditation management system, strengthening its commitment to quality improvement for ambulatory care for clients, surveyors and the industry at large, according to the release.

“With more than 6,700 organizations currently accredited by AAAHC, the value of our nationally recognized standards is undeniable,” Adachi said in the release. “Each certificate of accreditation and every certification signifies a commitment to delivering safe, high-quality services to patients, aligning with our mission of ensuring excellence in the ambulatory care environment.”

AAAHC encourages its accredited organizations to submit a quality improvement study for the Bernard A. Kershner Innovations in Quality Improvement Award. Visit https://www.aaahc.org/quality-institute/ to learn about the submission process and see a timeline of past winners.