Law & Ethics

Equine InFocus 2006

National studies on victims of domestic violence show that abusers have threatened to harm or kill, or have actually harmed their pets as a means of keeping the victim from leaving the relationship, said Maine's Governor John Baldacci, as reported in The New York Times.

National Report - While many veterinarians shun convenience euthanasia, problems associated with pet relinquishment live on.

I think it is again time to remember the distinction between fairness and justice.

A complete patient record will help you collect full payment through collection, litigation or otherwise.

Gift-certificate medicine: Go crazy with diagnostics and treatment modalities as long as you don't go over $100.

Just because a complaint seems goofy or unfair, a practitioner still can shell out big bucks to defend a license.

You cannot successfully create or alter a practice culture by drafting documents.

A love note from the Empire State said it would seize the X-ray, ultrasound and Q-Tips to satisfy Oldtimer's sales tax obligations.

A retainer agreement should include a statement of hourly billing rates.

Unlike human medicine where surgery is the exclusive domain of the specialist, general practitioners in veterinary medicine are often called upon to perform a wide variety of surgical procedures.

Never underestimate the potential liability associated with toxic-substance contamination.

There is a fundamental concept about contract law that students learn in their very first weeks of law school. It's a concept referred to as "meeting of the minds."

Employee theft is one of the most divisive events that can take place in a veterinary practice. The problem extends well beyond the loss of funds or product that characterize the criminality.

The legal rule: Without a conviction, there is no criminality shown. If there is no criminality shown, you cannot safely make public accusations of that crime.

In many cases, wounds that extend under the skin and into muscle will need to be opened further to allow debridement of devitalized fat and muscle.

Veterinarians average $312,360 in revenue production and the average medical malpractice premium hovers at $197...

Concussive force from blunt trauma can result in pulpal inflammation and death of the pulp tissue.

It's essential to tell team members who they can turn to--besides you--when they encounter a confusing ethical situation.

Our actions might have ramifications outside the realm of patients' immediate health.

The answer is often colored by preconceived notions, according to a study published in the American Journal of Nursing. When adverse events fall in the realm of nursing they're likely to be reported as errors. When they're associated with physicians, they're apt to be viewed as differences in "clinical judgement" or a "variation in practice."

KANSAS CITY — Model practice act standards embracing chiropractic and physical therapies likely will make the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) agenda during the group's annual September conference.

I have lost count of the number of occasions when I have written in this column that partnership in a veterinary practice is very similar to marriage. The analogy is one that potential partners must ignore at their peril. Nonetheless, joint ownership of a professional practice can be much like something else as well: a couple moving in together.

Orlando — Ninety percent of all licensing board complaints stem from poor communication about medical prognoses or failure to obtain proper authorization before treating a patient.

While some are just picky prima donnas, others actually are looking for an opportunity to hang the boss out to dry.

Emergency nurse Cindy Hill* heard a loud thumping noise coming from the ICU runs. She was monitoring the front desk in the early morning hours, so she headed back to the treatment area to check on her patients.

Pinocchio tried hard to be good. But his inner wishes--to have fun and experience life--often won out. And in the choices you and your team make, what's right and what's wrong aren't always as clear cut as the dilemmas fairy-tale characters face.

You can be sued by someone for virtually anything. The question is: Can they win?