History[edit]

HFAP was established in 1943 by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), and began surveying hospitals in 1945.^[3] Initially, HFAP provided osteopathic hospitals with accreditation ensuring osteopathic residents received appropriate training. In the mid-1960s the United States Congress decided that accredited hospitals would meet conditions set for participation, and thus automatically participated in newly established Medicare and Medicaid programs. HFAP quickly applied for and was granted said status^[4] in 1965.^[5] By 2012, HFAP accredited about 214 hospitals in the US.^[5] In 2015, ownership of HFAP moved from the AOA to the Accreditation Association for Hospitals/Health Systems (AAHHS).^[6]