Originally developed through an extensive public comment process and published in 1991, revised every 2-3 years, the Accreditation Standards address issues of patient care and safety in fixed and rotorwing services as well as ground critical care, ALS/BLS and Medical Escort Services. Each standard is supported by measurable criteria. Accreditation Standards are periodically revised to reflect the dynamic, changing environment of medical transport with considerable input from all disciplines of the medical profession.

Accreditation Standards are the criteria used to measure a program's level of quality. In order to obtain accreditation, a medical transport service must be in substantial compliance with the Accreditation Standards.

Substantial compliance is defined as follows:

"A medical transport system demonstrates overall quality of service consistent with the essential elements of Accreditation Standards and the professional judgement of the Board. The service demonstrates a steady balance in all dynamic components which comprise their specific program."