What is the CAAASF?

Barr Plastic Surgery Centre is fully accredited with the Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities. The entire aim of the Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities is to protect the public from potential problems that could arise because of surgical procedures being performed in a facility improperly equipped for a given procedure. The Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (CAAASF) is a national organization formed in 1990 to ensure that surgical procedures done outside a hospital are performed safely and carefully.

It is a voluntary organization of doctors whose members have chosen to have their facilities inspected to ensure that their patients have the assurance of a safe alternative to in-hospital surgery.

The CAAASF Mandate

The aim of the Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities is threefold:

1. To establish facility and equipment guidelines that facilities must meet before being accepted for membership;
2. To designate appropriate qualifications for individuals working in ambulatory surgical facilities;
3. To ensure that these standards are maintained in the day-to-day operation of the facility (In-House QualityAssurance Program).

Surgery today requires sophisticated instruments and monitoring devices.  In a CAAASF accredited facility, procedures are performed in a modern operating suite with equipment necessary to ensure the safest possible operating conditions.  Proper space for the safe evacuation of patients in the event of fire must be assured.  Emergency electrical power must be available in case of power failure to allow surgery to continue safely.  
A CAAASF accredited facility meets and may exceed, the same standards of safety and patient care as those required in a hospital outpatient unit.  An accredited facility provides you with a safe environment specifically designed to accommodate your surgical needs.

Qualified Staff

All surgery performed in a CAAASF facility must be performed by a fully qualified surgeon who is certified by the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.  He or she must be eligible to perform the same surgical procedures in an accredited hospital. This protects the public from surgeons who perform procedures for which they are not qualified. The assisting personnel must be appropriately certified for their role in an accredited facility, just as they would in a government hospital.  In those facilities offering procedures done under a general anaesthetic, a certified anesthesiologist must administer the anaesthesia. To maintain accreditation, member facilities must provide evidence that the standards set by the CAAASF are adhered to in the day-to-day workings of the surgical unit. This is accomplished by written reports and facility inspections.

For further information you may contact:  www.caaasf.org.  The Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, 2334 Heska Rd., Pickering, Ontario, L1V 2P9.   1-905-831-5804