VTH Teaching Adjustment

Implementation Date: 04/20/2009

Date of Last Revision: 05/09/2022

Next Review Due: 05/08/2024

Reviewed by VTH Administrative Team: 02/17/2009

Reviewed by VTH Board: 06/2015

Reviewed by Legal Counsel: N/A

Reviewed by Biosecurity Subcommittee: N/A

Subject to modification by the VTH Director without approval.

Policy

If a faculty member has determined that there is an opportunity to provide an extraordinary learning experience for house officers and professional students, beyond what would be standard treatment or diagnosis, a teaching adjustment may be provided to cover the costs associated with the procedure(s).

Additionally, VTH clients should not be charged for the excess supplies used related to teaching DVM students treatments or procedures or for students to participate in or observe procedures that would be unique or of significant educational value.

Note: This policy applies to house officers and professional students. Invoice adjustments must be approved by the respective Service Head (or their designee if absent from the hospital), submitted, and entered on the invoice prior to patient discharge.

Guidelines

Procedural expenses associated with providing an extraordinary learning experience for house officers and professional students shall be charged to teaching funds as managed by the respective Service Head. Teaching Adjustments may be used to adjust the costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of rarely-seen disorders or for rarely performed procedures that clients are not willing to pay for. Examples include:

• To enhance the learning experience of our house officers and professional students, they may perform a medical or surgical procedure, under faculty guidance, that the owner may have declined due to cost.

Supplies used for instructional purposes or additional supplies needed to allow house officers and professional students to perform procedures should be charged to the appropriate FOP including services’ teaching funds or course budgets. Examples include:

• To enhance the learning experience of our house officers and professional students, they may be asked to scrub in to view or participate in the surgery. The extra caps, gowns, and gloves needed should be charged the appropriate FOP.
• Placement of an E-tube or NE tube.
• An inexperienced student uses multiple catheters

Procedure (if applicable)

Teaching adjustments for procedures, treatments or diagnostics shall be authorized prior to initiation of these procedures. The faculty member requesting the adjustment shall complete an online adjustment form and submit it for approval to their Service Head or designee (if the Service Head is absent from the hospital). The service head will determine if funds are available and approve the request accordingly. Once approved, the form should be presented to Client Services. In those cases where a CVM student or CVM employee is the owner, then the Hospital Director or his/her designee must also approve the adjustment. Once approved, the procedure may be carried out and the client’s bill will be adjusted accordingly.

Adjustments for procedures performed or diagnostic testing are to be done through the hospital information system using the appropriate adjustment (DBF) code for the service area requesting the adjustment.

Funds are budgeted each fiscal year to cover student-related expenses. These funds are allocated to specific services during the VTH’s annual review and approval of the hospital’s operating budget. Balances can be viewed in iReport. Drugs or supplies used for teaching veterinary students should be charged against the appropriate course budget.

Process for submitting the online adjustment form for a discretionary adjustment:

1. https://appserv7.admin.uillinois.edu/FormBuilderSurvey/Survey/UIUCVetMed/admin/adjustment_form/
2. Log In using your net ID and password
3. Fill out the form for the current fiscal year
4. Enter applicable client information – choose credit adjustment – provide a reason for the adjustment and dollar amount of adjustment to be processed – save – route the form to proper approver – save – route the form to proper approver – submit – enter DBF code – save. 

DBF Codes

SAD Hospital Director
SAANE Anesthesia
SACAR Cardiology
SADEN Dentistry
SADM Dermatology
SAEMS Equine Medicine and Surgery
SAFS FARMS
SAICU ICU
SAIRT Imaging
SANEU Neurology
SAONC Oncology
SAOPH Ophthalmology
SAREH Rehab Medicine
SASM Shelter Medicine
SAER Small Animal ER
SASAM Small Animal Internal Medicine
SAPC Small Animal Primary Care
SASAS Small Animal Surgery
SATHR Theriogenology
SAWMC Wildlife Medical Clinic
SAZM Zoo Medicine

Definitions (if applicable)

VTH – The collective clinical services of the Large Animal Clinic, the Small Animal Clinic, and the Veterinary Medicine South Clinic.