Prepare for your Inspection
Five new requirements
The College's five new accreditation requirements are intended to help you enhance your facility’s safety, efficiency, and compliance, making the inspection process easier and smoother for you and your team. Aneeta Bharij, Principal Accreditation, provides an overview of the new requirements in the video below.
Before your inspection
Inspection checklists specific to the Essential Standards and Additional Scope of Practice Services that reflect the services you provide are available for review. Using the checklists is helpful for conducting a mock inspection prior to the College’s inspection. The checklists list all the requirements for each standard. As you review each requirement, make notes in the space provided to explain or describe how your facility is in compliance with each requirement.
What to expect on inspection day and afterwards
During the inspection, your inspector assesses the facility for compliance with the standards, recognizes what your practice does well, and may offer suggestions on opportunities for improvement if applicable.
The inspection will take approximately 2.5 hours to complete. You do not need to close your practice, change appointments, or operate your facility any differently.
During the inspection, the Facility Director will accompany the inspector during the on-site visit, answer questions, and be the main contact person. Other members of your team involved in accreditation may attend as well. And at the end of the inspection, the Facility Director and inspector will discuss the outcome of the visit. You do not need to pull medical records before the inspection. Your inspector will decide on the day of your inspection what cases and medical records they will need to review. This may include surgical, dental, inpatient, etc. They will likely request medical records from each veterinarian.
If your inspection notes full compliance with the standards, the Certificate of Accreditation will be issued for a five-year term and mailed to you. If there are standards that are not met, you will receive an inspection report and be provided with 30 days from the date of the inspection to provide evidence of compliance with the requirement(s).
Here to assist you
We understand that having your facility inspected and accredited is important and we want to support you with clear information about our processes in accordance with our Service Commitment. Please email us at accreditation@cvo.org with any questions.
Sample documents
The College prepares sample documents and protocols for various species groups which demonstrate best practices and are based on the College's regulations. These documents are intended as samples which provide veterinarians with forms that they may choose to consider or adapt as part of their practice. Sample templates for documents such as invoices (fees for drugs and services), radiology and surgery anesthetic logs are available for your reference.
Controlled Drug Management
Every veterinarian has the right to prescribe and dispense controlled drugs. This privilege comes with responsibilities, inclusive of mitigating the risk of inappropriate or illegal access to controlled drugs. Veterinary rules related to the management of controlled drugs, including disposal, have always been rigorous.
The College provides several tools regarding the security, storage and disposal of controlled drugs, how to maintain a controlled drug log, performing a controlled drug audit and legislative requirements.
