NAMES IN THE NEWS

AAAHC to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccination for Surveyors

SEPTEMBER 2021

The board of directors and executive leadership team of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) in Skokie, Illinois, have adopted a new COVID-19 vaccination requirement for its community of surveyors, according to a release.

Effective October 15, all AAAHC surveyors—whose frontline role in the accreditation process may place them at greater risk of COVID-19 infection—must comply with this new guidance and have received either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The decision aligns AAAHC with many of the healthcare organizations it serves, including all facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement.

“Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 requires using all the tools we have available,” said Noel Adachi, president and chief executive officer of AAAHC, in the release. “In making this decision, we reviewed CDC recommendations and considered the variety of local, state, and facility requirements regarding the vaccination.”

Said Timothy Peterson, MD, AAAHC board chair, in the release, “We truly care about our surveyors, their health and the health of their families, friends, and communities at large. This policy will help reduce risk, as conducting surveys may require close interaction with unvaccinated patients and others who may be immunocompromised and at a higher risk for complications from COVID-19.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, ambulatory care facilities have continued to provide safe, quality care, while navigating safety protocols and ensuring effective implementation of safety measures, according to the release. AAAHC surveyors—the majority of whom are already fully vaccinated—have continuously provided support and education to ensure sufficient safety measures and adherence to standards.