The Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine has amended Rule 700-8, Unprofessional Conduct. The highlighted text below reflects amendments to Rule 700-8-.01(1)(c) and does not represent the complete language of Rule 700-8.
GVMA has also created a spreadsheet for easy reference outlining what has changed. For our members who have questions about how these rules should be legally interpreted, do not hesitate to reach out to GVMA’s Legal Assist .
Rule 700-8-.01. Unprofessional Conduct. Amended.
Unprofessional conduct shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(c) Failure to Maintain Patient Records:
- A veterinarian shall prepare and maintain a record reflecting the care and treatment of animals treated or boarded.
- These records shall contain clinical information sufficient to justify the diagnosis and warrant treatment and shall, if applicable, include but not be limited to the following information:
- (i) Name, address, and telephone number of the animal’s owner;
- (ii) Name of attending veterinarian and staff rendering care;
- (iii) Patient identification, including name, ages, sex and breed;
- (iv) Dates of examination, treatment and custody of the animal;
- (v) Patient history;
- (vi) Presenting complaint;
- (vii) Vaccination history;
- (viii) Findings from physical examination, including temperature and weight for each examination;
- (ix) Clinical lab reports, if applicable;
- (x) Medication prescribed or recommended, including dose, strength, and frequency;
- (xi) Anesthetic, including dose, strength, type, amount and monitoring of vital signs at frequent intervals, if applicable;
- (xii) Details of surgical procedure including complications and/or abnormalities noted with documentation of suture materials used;
- (xiii) Progress and disposition of the case to include client communications and copies of any written instructions for home care;
- (xiv) Differential diagnoses; an
- (xv) Radiographs to include radiographic interpretations.
- All records shall be kept in a readily retrievable form, shall be recorded contemporaneously, and shall be filed promptly following treatment.
- Patient records shall be kept by a veterinarian for three (3) years after a patient’s last visit, notwithstanding any other provisions of law.
- Copies of patient records must be made available to the owner of the animal upon written request to the veterinarian who treated the animal or to the veterinarian facility where the treatment was provided. Such records must be made available within ten (10) business days from request. The veterinarian may charge a reasonable charge for the search, retrieval, duplication and, if applicable, mailing of the patient records.
- A veterinarian shall respond to an inquiry by the Board within fifteen (15) days and/or provide the Board with evidence that requested records have been released to the client.
- Failure to keep records as required by this subparagraph shall constitute a failure to conform to the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing veterinary medical practice.
