Media contact:
Jamie Hansen for AAAHC
312-558-1770, ext. 137
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AAAHC Opens Medical Home On-Site Certification Program to All
Pilot Program a Success
Skokie, Ill. [January 7, 2013] – Following a successful pilot, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) On-Site Medical Home certification program is now open to all organizations interested in evaluating their services against nationally recognized Standards for the patient-centered Medical Home (PCMH).
On-Site Certification demonstrates an organization’s dedication to patient-centered medical care, and the AAAHC Medical Home On-Site Certification Handbook provides specific Standards that focus on patient rights, the patient and care team relationship, accessibility,comprehensivenessand quality of care. The programincludes an on-site visit by AAAHC surveyors to assess the transformation of an organization to a PCMH.
“The success of the pilot program demonstrated that the AAAHC certification program offers value to organizations that are looking to become Medical Homes,” said Sam Romeo, MD, MBA, medical director of AAAHC. “Our surveyors work collaboratively with certified organizations to ensure that patients receive high-quality care consistent with AAAHC Standards.”
Fourorganizations were certified as Medical Homes in the pilot program, including Metro Community Provider Network, a community health center of Englewood, Colo., Desert AIDS,an HIV/AIDS clinic of Palm Springs, Calif., Heritage Medical Group, a primary care organization of Lemoyne, Penn., and Pioneer Health Center, a school-based health clinic of Detroit. A fifth organization is working toward earning certification.
In addition to the on-site certification program, AAAHC also offers Medical Home accreditation as an option of a general accreditation survey. With accreditation and on-site certification, AAAHC offers the most comprehensive PCMH survey process available.
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), founded in 1979, is the leader in ambulatory health care accreditation with nearly 5,400 organizations accredited nationwide. AAAHC accredits a variety of ambulatory health care organizations, including ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery centers, college student health centers, health plans/managed care organizations, military health care clinics, large medical and dental practices and medical homes. In 2010, AAAHC launched an international accreditation. 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. For more information visit
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