USF Health’s Endoscopy and Surgery Center recently earned accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), which certifies that it meets and exceeds nationally-recognized standards of quality care.

The Endoscopy and Surgery Center – within the USF Health Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) – earned a three-year reaccreditation, which places is among the 6,100 ambulatory health care organizations across the United States accredited by AAAHC, a private, non-profit organization.

To be accredited, organizations have to successfully complete an independent, external evaluation process, which determines they are delivering safe, high-quality care in the way they say they will. Not all ambulatory health care organizations seek accreditation, and not all undergoing the rigorous on-site survey process are granted accreditation.

“AAAHC accreditation is the leading accreditor of ambulatory surgery centers in the U.S.,” said Sharon Owen, director of the USF Health ASC. “With our status of achieving ongoing accreditation with AAAHC, we continue to demonstrate to our patients and community that we hold ourselves to a higher standard of patient care.”

Sharon Owen, director of the USF Health Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Organizations seeking accreditation by AAAHC undergo an extensive self-assessment and on-site survey by the association’s expert surveyors – physicians, nurses, and administrators actively involved in ambulatory health care. Among the areas reviewed are patient rights, quality of care, quality management and improvement, clinical records and health information, infection prevention and control, and anesthesia, surgical and related services.

Located in the Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare on the USF Tampa campus, the USF Health Ambulatory Surgery Center and its Endoscopy and Surgery Center are in a state-of-the-art facility with five endoscopy and procedure suites, four fully-equipped and integrated operating rooms, and a 33-bed recovery room. The center’s experienced professionals are trained in orthopedics, ENT, ophthalmology, urology, gynecology, colorectal surgery, general surgery, breast oncology, plastic surgery, podiatry, and endoscopy.

For more information, visit health.usf.edu/care/asc. For scheduling or other questions, please call 813-974-2870.