Anicira Receives ‘Gold Standard’ Accreditation
By JESSICA WETZLER
Daily News-Record 7/30/20
An accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association is one only 15% of small- animal hospitals in the United States and Canada have received, and Harrisonburg is home to two accredited veterinaries.
Anicira Veterinary Center has recently received an accreditation from the association after going though an extensive review process and evaluated on more than 900 quality standards that go “above and beyond state regulations and determined our practices were among the industry’s finest,” according to Katie Nicholson, marketing and communications manager for Anicira.
Anicira’s locations in Harrisonburg and Manassas join Harrisonburg Animal Hospital for receiving the high honor in the region. Nicholson said she did not know how many other veterinarian hospitals in Virginia have the same accreditation.
“This is a huge achievement for us. ... This is our first big accreditation like this,” Nicholson said.
Founded in 1933, the association focuses on promoting high-quality standards for small-animal private practices through accreditation and other initiatives, according to its website. Its mission is to provide veterinary professionals with resources to effectively manage their businesses and deliver the best in companion animal care.
To earn an accreditation, a practice is evaluated in various areas of care, from pain management and patient care to team training and medical recordkeeping. Once an accreditation is acquired, a practice will be reevaluated every two years to maintain the accreditation.
Nicholson said receiving the accreditation is a testament to the team’s hard work and care for animals and owners.
“This accreditation means that pet parents can trust that Anicira is in line with industry best practices and that their pets are getting the best care possible,” she said.
Nicholson said the process of getting accredited was one that had been in the works for several years, but the in- person evaluation of the practice occurred two weeks ago.
“They look at the standards of our patient care, our pain management, anything from staff training to diagnostics, and they make sure they are in line with peer- reviewed, evidence- based veterinary protocols,” she said. “As a nonprofit organization and as an organization that strives to provide affordable veterinary care, it is always excellent for us to be recognized for our high standard of care and our ability to bridge the gap between affordable care and excellent high-quality care.”
Being able to receive the accreditation was equivalent to having the “gold standard” for veterinary medicine, Nicholson said, and one the facility will strive to maintain it.