CHICAGO, IL–(Marketwired – April 23, 2015) – More than 50 facilities have demonstrated their commitment to patient safety by gaining accreditation from the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). AAAASF is celebrating its 35th year of promoting the highest quality patient safety in the ambulatory (office-based or outpatient) surgery setting.

AAAASF requires 100 percent compliance with all accreditation standards and does not offer partial accreditation. If a facility fails to meet any standard, it must correct the deficiency or risk denial or loss of accreditation.

The facility below in Costa Rica is among the 50 to have been accredited by AAAASF since Jan. 1, 2015:

Los Colegios Dental: Moravia, San Jose, Costa Rica

This facility is located in the eastern suburbs of the capital city of Costa Rica, a country that is known to attract scores of North American and European medical tourists who are in search of quality dental care at very affordable prices.

To earn their accreditation, the facilities passed inspection on hundreds of important criteria concerning patient safety. AAAASF facility inspectors are board certified medical specialists trained to perform a thorough and complete facility inspection. AAAASF facility inspectors follow a regimented procedure to inspect an outpatient surgery facility in the following categories:

• General Environment
• Operating Room Environment, Policy and Procedures
• Recovery Room Environment, Policy and Procedures
• General Safety in the Facility
• Blood and Medications
• Medical Records
• Quality Assessment and Quality Improvement
• Personnel
• Anesthesia

The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. (AAAASF) was established in 1980 to standardize and improve the quality of medical and surgical care in outpatient facilities and assure the public that patient safety is top priority in an accredited facility. More than 2,200 outpatient facilities are accredited by AAAASF, one of the largest not-for-profit accrediting organizations in the United States. Surgeons, legislators, state and national health agencies and patients acknowledge that AAAASF sets the “gold standard” for quality patient care.

AAAASF programs include surgical, procedural, oral maxillofacial, international surgical and dental. AAAASF is also deemed by Medicare to accredit ambulatory surgery centers, rehabilitation and outpatient therapy agencies and rural health clinics. For more information, visit AAAASF.org.