Lectures and Continuing Education Programs

MALPRACTICE

Malpractice Risks...Where Are They? (2-3 Hours)

The veterinary industry and others who service the pet owning community have promoted the human animal bond in hopes that it would increase the demand for quality health care and promote pet ownership. Well, it worked! With the recognition that pets are important to their owners comes increased accountability for medical mistakes. This presentation gives an overview of what it takes to have a malpractice case against a veterinarian and provides examples of such cases. Often the daily challenges are not with the animals or clients, but with the law. When you use extra label and compounded drugs; have clients that refuse to follow your recommendations, (such administration of parasiticides); provide alternative therapy; refer patients to other veterinarians; or have clients assist you with restraint; you are bound to step on some legal land mines. The goal of this presentation is to provide attendees with the ability to recognize and address some of their most frequently encountered legal problems; with pearls of wisdom on how to steer clear of the courthouse.

Paw and OrderTM (3 Hours)

Hollywood meets animal health in "Paw & Order". This unique presentation highlights some of the potential pitfalls veterinary practitioners and their staff may face and some legal risks they may cause. "Paw & Order" provides information to help veterinary practitioners and their staff ensure that veterinary practice procedures maintain a normal standard of care. The program, endorsed by AAHA, was developed by a panel of experts in cooperation with the North American Veterinary Conference. The program is patterned after the NBC crime drama, "Law & Order," and dramatizes a veterinary malpractice lawsuit – using a fictional zoonotic infection scenario - to focus on important clinic procedures, such as informing and educating clients and accurate record keeping. Captured in four filmed vignettes, "Paw & Order" blends education with entertainment to demonstrate some of the practical and legal issues facing today’s veterinary practitioners. CONSIDER HAVING THIS PRESENTATION AS KEYNOTE EVENT. PROGRAM MAY ONLY BE SPONSORED BY MERIAL.
Made possible through an educational grant from Merial.

Incorporating Alternative Therapies in Practice Without Incorporating Risks of Malpractice (2 Hours)

Alternative therapies can or cannot be the practice of veterinary medicine. Typically this depends on the type of therapy being used as well as how the State Veterinary Practice Act defines the "practice of veterinary medicine". This presentation will address some of the risks of incorporating alternative therapies in practice and ways to minimize them. Minimization of risk discussion will include the use of informed consents, proper record keeping and client communication.

Coping with Civil Law Suits and State Board Actions (2-3 hours)

Receiving letters from the State Board of Examiners and or a disgruntled client’s attorney can be very distressing, causing veterinarians to respond impulsively and not always in their best interests. The two primary areas of law, which regulate the conduct of veterinarians and ensure that veterinarians act prudently and reasonably in their dealings with clients and their animals are the civil court system and the state board of veterinary examiners. This presentation provides an overview of what is involved in malpractice cases and state board complaints and provides attendees with tools to respond to allegations of malpractice.

Who’s Watching the House? (1.5 hours)

What happens when all the specialists wish to attend their one and only annual meeting? Is it good medical and business policy to have no specialists to supervise a department? How does your practice handle such shortage in coverage? What is the liability, if any, of a veterinary teaching hospital or private multi-specialty practice which advertises to the public 24/7 specialty referral services, if there is only a resident on staff to see the patient? Presentation explores the issue through results of a survey of the veterinary schools as well as in depth legal research and provides a set of guidelines to consider to limit the risk of liability.

Pain is No Evil Unless it Conquers Us (2 hours)

Animals feel pain. While this statement was considered nothing more than a myth, within the last 10-15 years, it has come to be scientifically accepted as fact. During the last decade, pain management has evolved from a vague idea or possibility to the norm and is slowly developing into a veterinary practice requirement to remain within the standard of care. For instance, the majority of veterinary schools’ curriculum includes lectures based solely on this discipline. Various special interest groups intently focused on pain prevention and its management are gaining repute, and the inclusion of pain medication as a routine part of surgery and other procedures continues to increase. Is this the new front of the standard of care? Come and find out how the evolving standard of care in pain medication is changing practice.