Being a caregiver isn’t easy. It comes with many challenges that include the life-spectrum of our patients. But to make our jobs more complex, we deal with the pet owners who make the decisions about the care we give. Consent is a term that comes up often and in many areas of a veterinary practice. We need consent to treat a patient, consent to release medical records, or consent to release personal information about a client or their pet. Some consent issues fall under the law and some fall under what is considered appropriate or ethical conduct.
The need for consent comes in many shapes and sizes. For example, some caregivers have higher moral and ethical standards than others. While one veterinarian may think it is OK to slightly alter a treatment plan without informing an owner (even if the price doesn’t change) another veterinarian may not. A professional state board will likely tell you that you must inform the owner and get their consent if switching one therapy for another, even if the modalities are similar.
But what about the client that sends their teenage son in with the family pet for an ear infection? The client has made the appointment but they are not there to authorize treatment or hear doctor recommendations. And then when the son gets home and has spent $150 on treatment, the client calls to complain. Ultimately, it is the caregiver’s responsibility to realize that a client’s child might not be old enough to authorize treatment. Train your staff to handle these situations. If you don’t already have one, consider adding a statement to your version of a Client Information Sheet that specifies who can and cannot bring a pet in for veterinary care. A simple statement like: We realize that children may be a part of your family but we allow only family members of legal age, 18 and older, to bring this pet(s) in for veterinary care. Please initial your understanding here _____.
There are also calls requesting information about clients. The town clerk may call for vaccination information when a client sends in a renewal for licensing a pet. Do you release the information or not? And what about the lost dog with a rabies tag on it? Do you tell the person who found the dog where the owner lives or give out their phone number? What if the county health department calls about a rabies case? Are you legally obligated or even allowed to release vaccine information if the client hasn’t given permission? Laws will vary from state to state and even county to county. To avoid issues, learn your local laws. It is also smart to have your client fill out a form that allows them to choose what type of information you release about their pet. Remember to update it every year or more often if needed.
Client consent is something to consider in every area of your practice. Respecting laws and client’s privacy is a subject that should be discussed with your staff. Doing so will make sure that everyone has a good understanding of what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Make sure your practice is covered by knowing the laws that apply to your practice regarding consent, find out what best practices are from your colleagues, and consider having your local attorney review your forms and talk to them about how they are used. And last but probably most important, make sure your staff is following the established policies and procedures for client consent.