The critical role of accreditation in establishing the ACS Education Institutes to advance patient safety through simulation.

This paper reviews the rationale for the development of an accreditation program for Educational Institutes by the American College of Surgeons. It discusses the reasons why such accreditation program is beneficial to the institutes themselves as well as to the organizations that sponsor the institute. It analyzes the evolution of the accreditation program since its inception, and it provides advice as to how to start the accreditation process.