National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues - News Feeds

Law and ethics updates

• Q&A: Making sense of mandatory meetings
  Our monthly meetings are mandatory, and people's days off and time working are being docked. Is this legal?
  
• Practice vehicle safety is riding on you
  Team members running work errands for your veterinary practice must be licensed and their cars must be in good shape. Otherwise, guess who's on the hook for liability?
  
• 5 types of potentially litigious veterinary clients
  If you see them coming be concerns — and ask them to seek veterinary care elsewhere
  
• Monitoring veterinary practices for employee theft
  You may trust your employees, but are you certain there are no thieves among your staff? Here's a look at how veterinary practices are dealing with theft—and the warning signs you should look for.
  
• Bathrooms for dogs open in D.C. area airports
  Two D.C. area airports comply with federal rules requiring animal relief areas.
  
• 4 ways to ward off fraud at your veterinary practice
  Protect your veterinary practice from employee embezzlement, forgery, robbery, and more.
  
• Veterinary client information breaches have consequences
  There's more at stake than a fine when you mishandle client and employee information
  
• Limit your veterinary practice owner liability with an LLC
  This business entity can protect your personal assets — and it's easy and inexpensive to organize for your veterinary practice
  
• Prevent lawsuits by calling veterinary technical service lines to report adverse events
  Consult with the experts for each drug on technical service lines.
  
• Former Banfield veterinarian sues
  Portland, Ore. -- A former chief of staff at a Banfield hospital in Oregon filed suit against the corporate veterinary practice, claiming unlawful workplace discrimination and wrongful termination.
  
• Your employee rights were violated. Now what?
  Protect yourself and preserve a strong working relationship with these three tips.
  
• Shifting liability: The new American pastime
  Walk through a TV drama plot and see how your fate mirrors doctors on the small screen.
  
• When the lights go out: Emergency lighting in your veterinary practice
  Lightning strikes. Darkness falls. Can team members see to walk your halls?
  
• 5 facts about employee rights
  Many team members blindly stumble through issues of breaks, overtime pay, and family leave. Find out whether your practice gives you enough—or whether you expect too much.
  
• The costs of suing
  Even when you know the law is on your side, you might be better off skipping a court date with Lady Justice
  
• Fraud: The enemy within (your veterinary practice)
  Fraud and embezzlement can happen to you. Read about a college panel discussion on the topic, then discuss on dvm360.com.
  
• A race to the bottom
  If we don't guide veterinary medicine's future, low-cost clinics and subpar care will.
  
• Examine your veterinary practice evacuation plan
  Heroes need not apply. In an emergency evacuation, your employees should focus on saving themselves.
  
• Vague rules leave some veterinarians in a black hole of confusion and lawlessness
  Veterinarians struggle to comply with rules no one understands.
  
• Guard against safety issues when sharing space with another practice
  If you're sharing space with another facility, make sure you ensure everyone's safety.
  
• Avoid a wage and hour audit
  Q: Will a wage and hour audit happen to my practice?
  
• Avoid cons that prey on your fear
  Don't let your fear of OSHA give scam artists an opportunity.
  
• Don't be gored by the licensing board
  Q: Do I need veterinary licensing board insurance?
  
• Do you support declaw bans? Read two views
  Two team members sound off about the recent California declaw bans.
  
• Weigh public demand vs. activist actions
  When will the HSUS understand that Americans won't want expensive meat?
  
• Declaw references
  Jennifer Conrad shares the sources she used to make up her mind on the declaw debate.
  
• All you need to know about long-term medical leave: What you don't know can hurt you
  Complaints, lawsuits can cripple veterinary practice owners who don't have a written medical-leave policy
  
• Three more cities approve declaw bans
  A total of six Calif. cities have now made some move toward declaw bans.
  
• Bargaining: It takes two to play
  Defining the word "bargain." When we bargain for goods, we use caution to avoid being cheated, so we should be careful not to cheat others in doing business as veterinarians.
  
• Safety protocols still necessary for computerized and digital radiography
  Some people believe that radiation from DR or CR is not as dangerous as that from regular radiographs and that safety precautions aren't as important. They're wrong.
  
• Business360 Podcast No. 1: Regrets and mistakes
  Three short tips on what NOT to do in client medical records, practice building, and Web site creation.
  
• BizQuiz: Is it sexual harassment?
  Test yourself to see if your policies are ready for potential sexual harassment problems before they reach the court.
  
• The new welfare war
  Americans today are wrestling with the value of their pets and the laws protecting animals more than ever before. And experts say veterinarians are, and should be, at the center of the debate.
  
• Sample: Computer usage policy
  Use this sample policy to define acceptable computer behavior and outline the consequences of putting the practice at risk.
  
• Video surveillance: Who's watching you?
  More and more practices are using video surveillance. Here's what you need to know about being filmed at work.
  
• Can bosses monitor your online activity at work?
  Can your boss monitor what you're doing online? Read this before you visit another site or send another e-mail.
  
• Should your practice install video surveillance?
  Managers: Consider state laws, as well as employee response, to make sure the practice and its team are equally protected by video surveillance.
  
• The patient care disconnect: Assessing your liability when communication fails
  Legal liability is a potential problem for all businesses, including veterinarians. And the larger the business, the greater the risk.
  
• Veterinary advertising regulations: What not to advertise
  You may think of advertisements as only Yellow Pages ads, billboards, and event sponsorships. But at the session "The regulation of veterinary advertising and promotion," at CVC Kansas City, Douglas Jack LL.B. explained that even verbal statements to clients are considered advertising in the eyes of the law.
  
• Pets: Property or family?
  A custody battle over a 6-year-old pug in New Jersey could have far reaching consequences to the veterinary profession. When Eric Dare and Doreen Houseman broke up three years ago, they couldn't agree on who would keep Dexter. They split custody for a while, but eventually that amicable relationship soured and they took the case to court.
  
• No economic recovery for pet loss
  A Calif. high court has upheld a decision several states have already made.
  
• Anatomy of a licensing board investigation (Proceedings)
  One of the key tenets of a self-governed profession is the requirement of the members of the profession to regulate and, when warranted, sanction its own members who might engage in conduct which is unprofessional and adverse to the public interest.
  
• Veterinary practice liability audit (Proceedings)
  The practice liability audit is intended to cover the liability risks of veterinary practices.
  
• Legal code or employee code of honor (Proceedings)
  Staff management can be a fun cooperative project or it can be a daily drudgery depending on the cooperation and staff participation in discussions and agreements on the staff culture or some would say corporate culture.
  
• Another primer on informed consent (Proceedings)
  In many veterinary practices today, obtaining informed consent consists of the receptionist placing a consent form in front of the client and telling the client they need to sigh the form so the doctor can perform the surgery or treat the animal.
  
• Veterinary medical ethics with legal implications (Proceedings)
  Most self-governing professions are also guided by rules of ethics in their practices so as to further ensure the protection of the public from the unscrupulous or incompetent practitioner.
  
• The veterinarian's role in dealing with unlawful practice (Proceedings)
  The license to practice veterinary medicine is a privilege that is extended to only those that are qualified by way of formal education and training to competently provide the necessary services.
  
• Veterinary hospital management in tough economic times (Proceedings)
  The financial commentaries in recent times have signalled a gloomy outlook on a global basis.
  
• AVMA coverage: State boards and standards of care
  A veterinary specialist asks tough questions and offers advice to practitioners on good habits to survive licensing board investigations.
  
• Red Flags Rule: Are you ready?
  Use this guide to protect your clients—and stay in the clear with the FTC after Nov. 1, 2009.
  
• The unwanted horse (Sponsored by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health)
  It's been difficult to hear persistent reports about unwanted or abandoned horses in recent months. But here's the good news: You can help save unwanted horses. And in some cases, finding ways to help the animals you love can even lead to increased client confidence and trust.
  
• You broke EPA rules
  Is it legal to break up packages?
  
• Veterinary technician program done with purpose-bred dealers
  USDA code violations cause program to re-evaluate its vendors.
  
• I've fallen and I got up—bruised: Handling workplace accidents
  Here's how to handle workplace incidents and injuries.
  
• Does your practice have a written identity theft program?
  With small-animal practitioners deferring payments and large-animal veterinarians billing their clients, there is no doubt that the "Red Flags" provision of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, which became effective May 1, applies to the veterinary profession.
  
• Veterinary practice security: The layered look
  Keep your practice safe with security cameras, safety procedures, and an early warning system.
  
• Horse owners push lawmakers to relax dentistry regulations
  For nearly 20 years, equine dentistry has been considered a veterinary act in Oklahoma.
  
• Live from CVC 2009: Anatomy of a licensing board investigation
  These three clips come from Doug Jack's law and ethics session "Anatomy of a licensing board investigation" at CVC East 2009 in Baltimore. And all could keep you out of trouble.
  
• Red flags for team members
  New law affects veterinary teams.
  
• Alabama reconsiders annual rabies vaccination
  How often should pets be vaccinated for rabies?
  
• Anatomy of a licensing board investigation (Proceedings)
  One of the key tenets of a self-governed profession is the requirement of the members of the profession to regulate and, when warranted, sanction its own members who might engage in conduct which is unprofessional and adverse to the public interest.
  
• Another primer on informed consent (Proceedings)
  In many veterinary practices today, obtaining informed consent consists of the receptionist placing a consent form in front of the client and telling the client they need to sign the form so the doctor can perform the surgery or treat the animal.
  
• The veterinarian's role in dealing with unlawful practice (Proceedings)
  The license to practice veterinary medicine is a privilege that is extended to only those that are qualified by way of formal education and training to competently provide the necessary services.
  
• Dog bite law - Protecting yourself, your staff your clients and the dog (Proceedings)
  As a veterinarian who serves clients owning a dog, there are two issues to be concerned with that involve dog bite law.
  
• Veterinary medical ethics with legal implications (Proceedings)
  Most self-governing professions are also guided by rules of ethics in their practices so as to further ensure the protection of the public from the unscrupulous or incompetent practitioner.
  
• What you can do to help save your job
  Finding ways to generate revenue and cut costs can make you indispensable
  
• Veterinary hospital management in tough economic times (Proceedings)
  The financial commentaries in recent times have signaled a gloomy outlook on a global basis.
  
• Praise for pit bulls
  Ban bad owners, not breeds.
  
• Thinking of converting a building into a clinic?
  The prospect of building an all-new practice facility is a daunting one, especially for veterinarians who have not owned a practice before.
  
• Keeping employee records safe
  Organize and file employees' sensitive personnel documents with these tips.
  
• To scan or not to scan
  What's our legal responsibility when it comes to scanning microchips?
  
• Are you practicing veterinary medicine conscientiously?
  The veterinarian's oath states in part: "Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine... I will practice my profession conscientiously..."
  
• Protecting yourself from 'pet battery' lawsuits
  One of the most surprising things I learned in law school was the legal definition of "battery." A similar principle applies to the veterinarian who performs an act on an animal without the permission of its owner.
  
• Sexual harassment stems from group dynamics
  Women are more likely to be harassed when a work group has a similar number of men and women.
  
• Medical records checklist
  Don't find yourself with inadequate patient medical records. Use this checklist to audit your records.
  
• Hiring a relief vet?
  Several factors determine whether they're subcontractors or employees.
  
• Take notes to avoid legal problems
  Failure to properly document procedures and exams can result in legal trouble down the road.
  
• For the record: Controlled substances
  What should I document when dispensing controlled substances?
  
• Applicant evaluation form
  Use this form to help you document hiring decisions.
  
• Euthanasia: When there's no other way
  Clients struggle with the decision to euthanize more than many veterinarians think.
  
• Make Crocs extinct
  Are the popular shoes safe for your employees to wear to work?
  
• Legal issues for companion animal practitioners (Proceedings)
  The companion animal veterinary practitioner is faced with a number of unique legal considerations in the daily discharge of his or her professional duties.
  
• The three Cs of avoiding complaints
  Keep these three things in mind to help stay complaint-free.
  
• Governmental regulations that all practices need to know (Proceedings)
  The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the federal law that regulates minimum wage, overtime pay, hourly wage vs. salary, the employment of minors and many other employment-related issues.
  
• Legal issues for large animal practitioners (Proceedings)
  The large animal veterinary practitioner is faced with a number of unique legal considerations in the daily discharge of his or her professional duties.
  
• State board complaints: Protect yourself
  More clients are complaining about their veterinary care because they expect more of you.
  
• Salary vs. hourly pay
  You might be entitled to overtime pay even if you hold a degree or have "supervisor" in your title.
  
• I've been sued. Now what?
  Your Medical Career and financial stability flash before your eyes. A gut-wrenching feeling takes hold. This is it; you've been hit with a malpractice lawsuit.
  
• Pennsylvania DVM could face death penalty
  Wilmington, Del. — A veterinarian, beaten and bruised by churchgoers who subdued him after police say he fired three rounds of ammunition into a crowd of more than 80 at a church fund-raiser May 25, could face the death penalty for allegedly shooting and killing a Delaware church leader.
  
• Judge Oks $24 million settlement of pet-food litigation
  Camden, N.J. — A federal judge approved a $24 million settlement hammered out a week earlier, aimed at compensating owners of thousands of pets that were sickened or killed by tainted pet foods last year.
  
• Leftovers and lab samples
  A veterinary break room is no place for urine samples and chemicals.
  
• Third-party payment system makes economic, legal sense
  The demands upon us continue to increase with each advance in technological sophistication.
  
• Mexico tourists seek out veterinary pentobarbital
  Mexico — Armed with a book called "The Peaceful Pill," foreign tourists are heading to Mexico to purchase pentobarbital from veterinary-supply stores and backstreet pet shops near the U.S. border.
  
• More humane executions? Some look to veterinary model
  Berkeley, Calif. — While debate continues over whether lethal injection in people is cruel and unusual punishment, some are looking to the veterinary community and its method of euthanasia — typically a large dose of pentobarbital.
  
• I survived an outbreak of virulent feline calicivirus
  I'll never know for sure which cat first brought the disease to my clinic. But I know where I saw it first.
  
• Does a team member on mood medication need a doctor's note?
  Can I question my employee who's revealed a history of mental illness and prescribed medications to control it?
  
• Probing for worker misconduct plants legal land mines
  It wouldn't surprise me if a certain percentage of readers who merely scan this month's piece do so because they don't see what relevance the topic could possibly have to the practicing veterinarian. I understand completely because, at first blush, it doesn't seem possible that any "investigations" would need to be carried out in an animal hospital and, even if one did need to be done, how complicated could it be?
  
• Glossary of veterinary malpractice legal terms
  Motion to strike is not when a snake starts coiling.
  
• Getting sued in small claims court vs. superior court
  Know what to expect no matter which court your veterinary malpractice lawsuit takes you to.
  
• A lawsuit from start to finish
  If you're hit with a veterinary malpractice lawsuit, find comfort in the fact that lawsuits follow a predictable, step-by-step process. Learn all about that process in the interactive flow-chart below. Roll over each step for more information about what it entails and what you can expect.