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CANINE HEALTH
TheDogPlace and Marcia Rosenberg exposed Malpractice Complaints that were once covered up in SC but are now exposed under state law. |
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VETERINARY PRACTICE ACT
How do you know if a veterinarian is Competent, Conscientious, and Careful in caring for your pet? Do you have a Veterinary Practice Act for the 3-Cs in your state?If your State Veterinary Board has not enacted a Veterinary Practice Act. demand new Veterinary Legislation to compel release of malpractice records to the public to protect dogs, cats, and other pets. The SC statute passed October 2005 and states in part "The Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners was created to protect the public from being misled by incompetent, unscrupulous, unqualified and unauthorized practitioners for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare. This purpose is achieved through the establishment of minimum qualifications for entry into the profession and through swift and effective discipline for those practitioners who violate the applicable laws or rules promulgated thereunder."
The South Carolina Veterinary Practice Act was signed by Gov. Mark Sanford July 2006, making veterinary disciplinary hearings open to the public. The passage ends a 30-year effort to have the state's veterinary practice act revised. TheDogPlace.org trusts this is law will be picked up by any states who still “practice” concealment of malpractice. Dogs and cats and other pets die every day at the hands of incompetent or negligent vets. Further clarifying veterinary requirements and exclusions, the SC law states "A veterinarian may not advertise or use a specialty designation without an AVMA recognized board certification."
Marcia Rosenberg nearly lost her pet during a routine spay by a vet "with a lot of history." She filed on behalf of all who have lost pets due to negligent vets whose records could not be accessed. Marcia fought this through the SC legislature and pet owners everywhere owe her a huge debt of gratitude.
COLUMBIA, S.C. The board must provide written acknowledgement of every initial complaint and notify the complainant in writing of the status of the investigation. While the board is entitled to deliberate in an executive session (ES), no final action may be taken during ES.
"The biggest difference between what we were talking about earlier this year is that there was an ability for accused veterinarians to talk to the board without going through the hearing process," says Dr. Steven Shrum, immediate past president South Carolina Veterinary Medical Association (SCAV). "It was decided that it is OK to determine if the complaint is a legal issue without going directly to a hearing."
The state's human medical board made complaints open to everyone last year, Shrum says. Now veterinarians are following suit. "With veterinarians wanting to be considered medical doctor equivalents, we determined we had to follow the same rules," Shrum adds.
Advocators to open access of public hearings believed the board and accused veterinarian went into a back room and made a decision, Shrum explains, without evidence a genuine hearing even took place. The practice act also spells out what procedures can be performed by an equine dentist versus DVM.
"Pain relief and anesthesia must be done by a veterinarian," Shrum says. "A veterinarian will be responsible for the other professionals actions if he or she has referred a client to them."
The new practice act:
"I am very happy this (Veterinary Practice Act) has passed; the practice act has a lot of important elements that will help the profession and pet owners." Shrum says.
Sen. Larry Grooms and Marcia Rosenberg, a pet owner whose cat almost died after a botched spay surgery, lobbied for the hearings to be public to protect pet owners. They are proud and happy with the outcome of their efforts.
"After a several-year struggle, I am gratified that South Carolina has joined the community of states where veterinary disciplinary hearings are open to the public," Rosenberg says. "The public will finally have the ability to learn more details about the few veterinarians who have serious charges filed against them."
Click to check whether your state has a Veterinary Practice Act and to access that state's law.
Let "Digger Dog" get related articles: Rosenberg Exposes SC Vet Law Part 1 Owner Wants Vets' Mistake Made Public Part 2 The South Carolina Veterinary Practice Act is signed Part 3 Dr. Gorlitsky's agreement to relinquish his license original: http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Veterinary/Orders/2004July GorlitskyS.pdf article when the vet board was supporting public disclosure
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