The CAAAF is a national organization whose goal is to ensure that surgical operations performed outside public hospitals are practised in a safe and competent manner. The membership of doctors voluntarily agrees to inspections of their surgical unit by their colleagues in order to ensure patients receive a safe alternative to intra-hospital surgery.
The objectives of the CAAASF
are to establish standards concerning the premises and equipment that member surgeries must meet before being certified; to identify the required qualifications for individuals who work in surgical units; and to ensure that the standards are respected during the course of daily activities. (Quality Assurance Program).
Dr Mario F. Bernier's Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Clinic takes pride displaying its specialized medical centre permit issued by the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec. Our clinic obtained this permit as a result of numerous checks and thorough inspections of the quality and safety of our facilities, practices and protocols as well as the extensive measures taken on site to prevent infections. Since July 1, 2008, a SMC permit is compulsory for performing in a non-hospital environment any medical intervention such as an arthroplasty (the surgical replacement of an arthritic or dysfunctional hip or knee), or a cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation. In addition, starting September 30, 2009, a SMC permit is also compulsory for performing in a non-hospital environment any other treatment listed in the Regulation on specialized medical treatment dispensed in a specialized medical centre (By-law Number 2008-08, enacted June 18, 2008).
