Maintaining Accreditation
During the five-year accreditation cycle, Accredited Education Institutes (AEIs) are expected to:
- Maintain full compliance with applicable ACS-AEI Standards.
- Retain documentation and evidence supporting their compliance.
- Uphold both the letter and spirit of the Standards.
To retain accredited status, Institutes must submit an Annual Compliance Report and pay the required annual fee. At the end of the five-year cycle, reaccreditation is required and includes submission of a formal application, a virtual visit by an ACS surveyor, and a final decision by the Accreditation Review Committee (ARC).
Purpose of the Annual Compliance Report
The Annual Compliance Report is a mandatory requirement and serves several key purposes:
- Demonstrate continued compliance with ACS-AEI Standards.
- Educate and reinforce awareness of Standards, especially during leadership or staff transitions.
- Provide feedback on changes that may impact accreditation status and offer guidance for maintaining compliance.
- Enable benchmarking, helping Institutes assess their performance relative to peers.
Scope and Review Process
While the Report collects data related to all Accreditation Standards and Criteria, it focuses on core components of compliance rather than every detail. It is designed to complement—not duplicate—the more comprehensive reaccreditation application.
Following ARC review, each AEI receives an Annual Report Card indicating whether accreditation Criteria are being maintained. In some cases, the ARC may request a progress report if the submission is incomplete or indicates non-compliance.
Reaccreditation Process Overview
At the conclusion of the five-year accreditation term, Accredited Education Institutes (AEIs) are required to:
- Submit a reaccreditation application.
- Participate in a virtual site visit with an assigned ACS surveyor.
Following the site visit, the Accreditation Review Committee (ARC) will assess the findings and determine whether the AEI will be reaccredited for an additional five-year term.
Resources and Support
- Site Visit Resources are available in the Resources section of your AEI Portal.
- For questions about maintaining accreditation or to schedule an “Accreditation 101” session for new or existing staff, please contact edinstitutes@facs.org.
Accreditation Fees
- Accreditation fees are set annually by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and are subject to change.
- Invoicing: An annual accreditation fee invoice will be emailed to the billing contact listed in your AEI Portal.
- To ensure accuracy, please keep your billing contact information up to date in the “Manage Program Contacts” section of the AEI Portal.
- Invoice Schedule:
- June Cycle Institutes: Invoices are generated on May 1
- December Cycle Institutes: Invoices are generated on November 1
- Payment Terms: Payment is due within 30 days of receiving the invoice.