VECCS offers a certification program to veterinary facilities that provide emergency and critical patient care. The purpose of this certification is to recognize facilities that meet or exceed the minimum standards and guidelines formulated by VECCS as centers of excellence. VECCS offers this certification program as a way to raise the standard of patient care and to increase public and professional awareness of high quality facilities in which veterinary emergency and critical patient care is practiced.
The facility certification program identifies 3 certification levels based on operating hours, equipment and personnel. The following is a synopsis of the certification levels.
A level III emergency and critical care facility is an acute care facility with medical staff, support personnel, specialized equipment and staff training necessary to provide high quality emergency and critical patient care. A Level III facility is open to receive emergency patients on nights, weekends and holidays 365 days a year.
To be certified as Level III, the facility must comply with all Level III requirements listed in the VECCS Facilities Certification Guidelines.
A level II emergency and critical care facility has the medical staff, support personnel, specialized equipment and staff training necessary to provide high quality emergent and critical patient care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Level II facilities differ from Level III facilities in that they continuously operate 7 days a week and have specialized facilities and equipment essential to provide high quality critical patient care. They must have readily accessible consultation with a board certified imaging specialist.
To be certified as Level II, the facility must comply with all Level II requirements listed in the VECCS Facilities Certification Guidelines.
A Level I emergency and critical care facility has the specialized medical staff, support personnel, equipment and training necessary to provide sophisticated emergent and critical patient care. The Level I facility is open to receive small animal emergency patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
A level I emergency and critical care facility differs from Level II and Level III facilities as follows:
Staffing (see guidelines for additional specifics)
Site capabilities (see guidelines for additional specifics)
To be certified as Level I, a emergency and critical care facility must comply with all Level I requirements listed in the VECCS Facilities Certification Guidelines.