Client Admittance to Clinic Work Areas

Implementation Date: 4/15/2010

Date of Last Revision: 8/3/2022

Next Review Due: 8/2/2025

 

Reviewed by VTH Administrative Team:  3/15/2010

Reviewed by VTH Board: 4/15/2010; 11/1/2012

 

Reviewed by Legal Counsel: N/A

Reviewed by Biosecurity Subcommittee: N/A

Subject to modification by the VTH Administrative Team without approval.

Policy

All owners (including veterinary students and hospital staff members) admitting an animal to the clinic become a client of the VTH. Client admittance to clinic work areas such as the ward areas where procedures are performed, surgery preparation and suites, ICU, radiology, etc, will be restricted. The hospital recognizes the teaching value to all including the client, yet retains the right to determine when client presence will be allowed

Guidelines

1. The attending clinician for the patient will have the responsibility of checking with the staff and/or doctors working in the area the client would like to observe their animal’s procedure to ensure it will not be disruptive to the patient or staff performing the procedure.
2. The attending clinician will have the responsibility of setting expectations with clients about when and where the client will be allowed.
3. The attending clinician or student assigned to the patient will remain with the patient and client during the procedure while the client is present.
4. If the owner of the patient is asked to leave the area for any reason, they must do so immediately.
5. Clients are not allowed in an isolation area.
6. All VTH personnel will be mindful of a client’s presence and remain professional in their communications

Procedure (if applicable) 

1. The attending clinician or student will inform Client Services which doctor or student to page when the client arrives.
2.  The attending clinician or student will inform the client who to contact upon their arrival.

Definitions (if applicable) 

Clients - animal owners or their representatives utilizing hospital services. VTH Clients are a diverse group including the general public, referring veternarians, veterinary students and hospital employees.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) – The collective clinical services of the Large Animal Clinic, Midwest Equine, the Small Animal Clinic, and the Veterinary Medicine South Clinic.