The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities is celebrating its 35th anniversary.
Here are five things to know about AAAASF:
1. The accrediting body promotes patient safety and quality in the ambulatory surgery setting, and accredits both office-based and outpatient procedure facilities.
2. AAAASF requires facilities to reach 100 percent compliance and doesn't offer partial accreditation.
3. There are 57 facilities that earned AAAASF accreditation so far in 2015.
4. AAAASF facility inspectors are board-certified medical specialists and also trained to complete facility inspections that include examining the general environment, operating and recovery rooms, medical records, quality improvement and bloods and medication.
5. The accrediting body was established in 1980 and includes surgical, procedural, oral maxillofacial, international surgical and dental programs. AAAASF is Medicare-deemed to accredit ambulatory surgery centers, rehabilitation and outpatient therapy agencies and rural health clinics.