International Benchmarking: AAALAC International Accreditation

Kathryn Bayne, MS, PhD, DVM, DACLAM, CAABSenior Director & Director of Pacific Rim Activities

Benchmarking (also "best practice benchmarking" or "process benchmarking") is a process used in management … in which organizations evaluate various aspects of their processes in relation to

best practice, usually within their own sector. This then allows organizations to develop plans on how to adopt such best practice, usually with the aim of

increasing some aspect of performance. Benchmarking may be a one-off event, but is often

treated as a continuous process in which organizations continually seek to challenge their

practices.

Wikipedia

Benchmarking to Ensure a Quality Program

The public’s expectations for science are high Public demands for best practices

Research costs with animals is increasingly a significant financial consideration for institutions

Clients want assurances of sound data and defensible animal welfare

Animal rights groups want to stop animal use

What Are The Risks of Not Benchmarking?

Public relations problems Increased cost/loss of innovation Erosion of public and community trust

Potential Objectives of Benchmarking

Improving organizational performance Setting standards for performance

monitoring Ensuring appropriate management

controls

Key Elements to Benchmark

Organizational structure Operating procedures Oversight (management) considerations

Successfully Using Benchmarking

Select a benchmarking system that can be used to guide performance

Ensure the data resulting from the benchmarking process can be meaningfully translated into action Translate benchmarking into methodologies

and techniques that create best practice.

AAALAC International site visit teams are in a unique position to benchmark animal care and use programs

Average of 212 institutions visited each year for the last 6 years

Standards used:

National legislation, policy Guide for the Care and Use of

Laboratory Animals (NRC 1996) AAALAC International’s Reference

Resources Institutional guidelines, policies

Methods to Ensure Quality Accreditation Assessments

Composition of the site visit team Tailored to the institution Limit to the number of times a Council member

may take out a particular ad hoc Consultant Maintains diversity of opinion

Colleagues who share the same experiences you do in your animal care and use programs

Methods to Ensure Quality Accreditation Assessments Review of the Site Visit Report (including

the post site visit communication from the institution) Pre-meeting electronic review and

comment/discussion Council meeting deliberations

Methods to Ensure Quality Accreditation Assessments Review of the letter to the institution

Post Council meeting review by Council Officers

Post Council meeting review by Senior Director

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Number ofAccreditedUnits

Over 750 Accredited Units in 29 Countries

Examples of Program Improvement Achieved Through Benchmarking by an Accreditation Process

Enhancing the level of veterinary care provided to animals

Ensuring a sound system of review of animal use proposals and of the animal program

Enhancing worker safety Providing enrichment to animals Reference to the 3Rs

Adequate Veterinary Care

Number of years of training Does this matter?

Experience With the species With the procedures (surgery, gavage, etc.)

Continuing education Staying current

Responsibility and authority

Example: Two Systems

2 or 4 years post-highschool

No to limited experience outside of the workplace

Limited authority in the program

Euthanize vs. treat

Well-credentialed Often have

experience outside primary place of employment

Role on the AEC Good program

authority

Example: For AAALAC

Appropriate training and experience required Good medical records, preventive medicine program,

surveillance program, etc.

Engaged role in the AEC Reviewing protocols, assisting with choice of drugs,

ensuring appropriate housing, etc.

Viewed as a partner in the research enterprise Offers guidance to facilitate research and ensure

animal welfare

Veterinary Care Program Resources FELASA

Guidelines for the Veterinary Care of Laboratory Animals

ACLAM Report of the American College of Laboratory

Animal Medicine on Adequate Veterinary Care in Research, Testing and Teaching

Assessing Institutional Attention to Pain and Distress?

Questions in AAALAC’s Program Description Review of select protocol forms Look at the animals and their medical records Review AEC processes

Program review Approval of pilot studies Guidelines, institutional policies

AAALAC International Program Description How and by whom are levels of pain

and distress assessed and categorized AEC guidelines for avoiding

unnecessary pain or distress Agents used for each species How veterinarian provides input to

choice and use of drugs

AAALAC International Program Description (con’t) How use of anesthetics and analgesics is

monitored Training and experience of personnel

performing anesthesia Methods of euthanasia for each species Training and experience of personnel

performing euthanasia

Protocol Review Elements

Consideration of analgesics suitability of agent dose

Consideration of adapting animals to restraint

Consideration of humane endpoints; clearly defined experimental endpoint

Commendations

Consideration of alternatives to painful procedures

Methods for postoperative care Multi-species environmental enrichment

program Training programs ...etc.

Concerns Addressed Following AAALAC Site Visit

Searches for alternatives to painful or distressful procedures

Re-reviewing protocols involving painful procedures

Intensifying consideration of analgesic use during protocol review

Concerns Addressed Following AAALAC Site Visit Improving consistency in the

categorization of studies vis-à-vis pain and distress (e.g., FCA)

Instituting procedures for assessing pain in the postoperative period

Intensifying review of humane endpoints during protocol review

Concerns Addressed Following AAALAC Site Visit

Emphasizing prevention of pain and distress during protocol review as well as during the AEC’s facilities inspection and program review

Specific Examples

Murine ascites production Guidelines for tail snip procedures Use of postoperative analgesics in

rodents Prompt reporting of animal health

problems (injury, disease, experimental outcome)

Benchmarking Through the AAALAC International Accreditation Process

Science-based standards Flexibility of performance standards Sensitivity to legal, cultural issues Cross fertilization through site visits Highlighting of best practices Continuous quality assessment process

In Summary….

Accreditation by AAALAC International is a valuable and integral component of any quality assessment benchmarking program Requires an extensive internal review Provides a comprehensive external review

Highlights areas of excellence Details a path for ongoing improvements

For more information….

AAALAC InternationalPacific Rim Office

68-3549 Makana Aloha PlaceWaikoloa, HI 96738

808.883.2186 phone808.883.1155 fax

kbayne@aaalac.orgwww.aaalac.org