You may take accreditation for granted because hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and community colleges in Michigan are required to be accredited if they wish to operate.  But it is different with ambulance services and paramedic education programs.  Only 140 ambulance services in the United States are nationally accredited as are only two paramedic education programs in Michigan.

 

The HVA Board of Trustees has always placed accreditation as an important achievement and measure of quality.  Accreditation means that we have submitted our organization to others to be externally judged against tough national standards.  We have asked outside experts to periodically come in and "kick the tires" of our organization, to make sure we are providing services at the gold standard for our industry. 

 

Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS):

 

HVA has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services since 1993, when we became the first accredited ambulance service in southeastern Michigan.  We have been reaccredited five times since 1993, the most recent 3-year accredited being awarded in February, 2010. 

 

For additional information about CAAS, click here.

 

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):

 

HVA's Ann Arbor paramedic education program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.  This program teaches paramedic students for agencies throughout southeast and south central Michigan, and prepares them for testing by the National EMS Registry and the Michigan Department of Community Health.  HVA's paramedic program has been accredited since 2000 and is one of only such programs in Michigan (the other being Lansing Community College). 

For additional information about CAAHEP, click here.