I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been told by a client that their standard veterinarian wouldn’t release records directly to the client. The official “ruling” was that the office would only send the records to another veterinarian. Crazy right??
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I’ve also been told the veterinarian has to review things before sending it to the client.
Perhaps this is why so many pet parents don’t think they can get their own pet’s records.
Some of this could be clients who don’t want to upset their veterinarian when they ask for medical records. But some of it is a veterinarian not being willing to give up control of the medical record.
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Here’s the thing everybody needs to remember: As the owner, you own the animal. They are YOUR medical records. You have a right to them. You have a right to see every single bit of it. ALL OF IT.
I totally understand that a vet needs to finish writing the records. But there’s no reason why, if the client wants a copy of the bloodwork, the client can’t get the copy of the bloodwork without the veterinarian first reading it. You bet. We want the veterinarians’ interpretation.
But if you get blood results. Share it with the client. Humans aren’t dumb. They can look up what the test results mean on the Internet and be prepared when the vet calls back and makes a suggestion.
So if you have any doubt, or if you can’t get your medical records, try again. It’s your pet. They are your records. You should have them on file. You never know what emergency situation you might need them for. Don’t be afraid to ask! EVER!
Still seeing patients in Tampa, Clearwater, and virtually.