Please check our 32 requirements to become an ACARE.
The first step is to read our list of requirements carefully. Do you fulfil most of the requirements?
If yes, please go to the appropriate application form below and send it off.
Please note that certified UCARE centers have premium access to becoming an ACARE and should therefore use the ACARE-UCARE application form. All other centers should use the ACARE application form.
A member of the ACARE office will get in touch with you after. We will send you the ACARE audit package and explain the next steps. As soon as you are officially an applicant, we will also already list your center on our website as an applicant ACARE.
It depends on which requirement is missing. Many are non-negotiable, for instance that a center treats patients of all ages. However, if the requirement is something that would be improved by your center joining the network, exceptions might be made. If you’re not sure, feel free to reach out to us: audits(at)ga2len.com
The process of becoming a member of ACARE involves an audit in which an auditor from a certified ACARE center will determine if and how your center meets the 32 criteria. You will find these criteria again in the “audit report” in the general audit package that we will be making available to each applicant. Together with sending that information we ask if you already have an auditor in mind – any head and deputy of a certified ACARE center can be an auditor. If not, we are of course happy to find one for you. Once an auditor is found, we will connect you and leave you to find a convenient date.
The audit can take place on site or via online conferencing. Which way you choose depends on the preferences of applicant and auditor and of course on the current pandemic situation/restrictions in your area.
A video conference platform should be used for the audit on remote and the ACARE office will be happy to help if auditors or applicant ACAREs do not have access to such a platform. The ACARE office is ready to answer any questions on remote auditing that applicant centers may have.
Audit on remote (via video conference)
To help the auditor to prepare the audit und to allow the ACARE Steering Committee to gain a deeper insight into your center as the audit report would allow, we ask that you send pre-prepared materials to the auditor and the ACARE office. This documentation should be reach us at latest 10 days before the audit takes place.
These materials should show how your center meets the 32 ACARE criteria and may include photos, certificates, and any other documents that you feel are appropriate to send to the auditor (please keep confidentiality laws in mind!). This documentation is a mandatory element of the audit process.
For both cases (on site or on remote audit) up to 2 hours should be scheduled for the audit meeting.
Below you will find an example of such preparation by ACARE/UCARE Center, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, that we think is exemplary
Final_ACARE_audit_documentation_report_exemplary (ACARE Bangkok).
After the audit visit, the ACARE steering committee will review the audit report that your auditor filled out and the ACARE office will inform you about the results. If the audit was successful, you will receive a certificate from us that is valid for two years. If the audit was not successful, you will receive an explanation on which criteria your center should work on, after which another audit can be planned as soon as the criteria are fulfilled
Watch a short video on the process here:
Congratulations! We are happy to welcome you to the network: You will receive a corresponding ACARE Certificate, which is initially valid for 2 years, and your center will be listed on our ACARE website as a certified ACARE. In addition, you will get access to our Sharing Platform Shasaf, where you will be able to view and sign documents pertaining to your center and any scientific projects you might be part of. See question 13 for more details.
Now: Get involved and help to let the ACARE network flourish and grow!
- Be an active network member:
- Please bring other angioedema experts into the network by spreading the word about the network and by performing audits
- take part in our scientific studies or initiate your own ACARE studies
- become a speaker in one of our ACARE educational formats
Do you have an idea for an interesting podcast topic, or a webinar? Let us know! Please also make note of the many patient education programs run by our partner organization HAEi, such as the advocacy day HAEi Day. Don’t forget to share our content with the other physicians and nurses in your center. Please follow us on Social Media and share our content with your network!
LinkedIn | Reddit | TikTok | YouTube
The first audit certificate is generally valid for 2 years. After the first re-audit, the certificate is valid for 3 years. From the second re-audit onwards, it will be 4 years and thus the maximum period of validity will have been reached. Your ACARE must therefore be recertified every 4 years after the 3rd audit.
We ask you to please contact us at least 3 months before your certificate expires, so that we will have enough time to organize your re-audit. As with the initial audit, we will ask you if you have a potential auditor for your center in mind. If not, we will look for one. Please note that for transparency purposes, the auditor for your re-audit cannot be the same one as for your first audit. We will supply a re-audit report, which lists your center details and shows the result of your last audit. If during your first audit areas with need for further improvement were identified, there will be a special focus on them during the re-audit. We ask you to please complete the audit report on pages 2 to 4 (Activities of the ACARE since the last certification) and to prepare a presentation that shows again how your center meets all 32 ACARE criteria. Both documents are mandatory and should be uploaded on our sharing platform Shasaf 10 days before the re-audit takes place at the latest.
In general, we ask you to notify us of all changes to your center via email (audits(at)ga2len.com). If all the requirements are still met, then no, as we certify the centers and its activities, not the individual physician. However, if by leaving the center there is no-one left to take on the role of head, then the center will not be listed anymore. However, our door is always open, and we would love to have your center rejoin the network as soon as possible!
Yes! We will do our best to coordinate a multiple-center-audit with you. If you are already a certified UCARE center, you have premium access to becoming an ACARE and should therefore use the ACARE already UCARE application form For double or triple audits involving ADCARE, ANACARE or ARIACARE please contact us via email under audits(at)ga2len.com. Please note that all certificates are still separate and undergoing a double or triple audit does not guarantee certifications for all Centers of Excellence if the requirements are not fully met.
If your application/the audit was unsuccessful, you will be told exactly why. If these issues can be resolved in the future, you can of course apply again as soon as all is set and preferably the initial auditor will perform a new audit!
No, of course not. We understand that life gets in the way sometimes, so just please inform us of your decision. If you ever want to pick up again at some point, feel free to get in touch with us later.
You can get in touch with the ACARE office at audits(at)ga2len.com. We will be happy to answer all your questions. If you are experiencing technical difficulties with the application form, we are to happy to send one to you via email.
Our ACARE member area is located on a platform called Shasaf where you can access general ACARE information and see, comment on and sign documents pertaining to e.g. scientific projects you are taking part in. Please note that all ACARE members have access to this member area and comments, documents or any changes are visible for all circle members. Once you signed up for the member area, you will be ready to join your own center area with all your ACARE related documents such as certificates.
Need another circle e.g. for a scientific project? Contact us at info@ga2len-ucare.com!
Shasaf is a safe document sharing platform, and only authorized members will be able to see data pertaining to them. You will get an initial invitation from Shasaf with a prompt to create a profile. We strongly recommend that you utilize Two-Factor-Authentification with a mobile app called Authy for iOS and Android.
If you experience any issues regarding your account, Authy, or other system functionalities and features, you are always welcome to reach out to the Shasaf support team at support@shasaf.com or +45 71 997 997.
Please take a look at our video tutorial on how to use Shasaf.
