Standards and Policies

Learn about important updates

AAAHC regularly reviews and updates its policies, procedures, and Standards to ensure they remain current, practical, evidence-based, and aligned with evolving health care practices and patient safety expectations. AAAHC develops new Standards and revises existing Standards in response to changes in legislative and regulatory requirements, nationally recognized clinical guidelines, peer-reviewed literature, emerging technologies, quality improvement and risk management trends, operational best practices, accreditation findings, and expert consensus. AAAHC also evaluates recurring survey findings, frequently asked questions, and real-world application to strengthen clarity, consistency, and surveyability across diverse health care settings.

AAAHC follows a structured, multi-level review and governance process when developing or revising Standards. Applicable AAAHC Expert Content Committees and the Standards Development Committee (SDC) review draft Standards to evaluate evidence support, intent, clarity, feasibility, consistency with the overall Standards framework, and operational impact. If the SDC determines that proposed additions or revisions are substantive, the SDC submits the proposed changes to the AAAHC Board of Directors for approval to release the draft Standards for public comment.

During the public comment period, health care organizations, clinicians, industry stakeholders, and other interested parties may review the proposed additions and revisions and submit feedback through the Public Comment form available on the AAAHC website. The SDC reviews and evaluates all comments received and may revise, clarify, or refine proposed Standards based on stakeholder feedback and supporting evidence. The AAAHC Board of Directors approves all final revisions prior to publication and implementation.

AAAHC welcomes comments or suggestions about the Standards at any time. Outside the public comment period, send comments and suggestions to standards@aaahc.org.