Chapter 700-12 MINIMUM STANDARDS
| (1) |
"Appropriately"
for the purposes of these rules means the expected level of care and
environmental quality in accordance with the animal species and the scope of
veterinary services being offered, as determined by the State Board of
Veterinary Medicine. |
| (2) |
"As
appropriate" for the purposes of these rules means the expected level of care
and environmental quality in accordance with the animal species and the scope
of veterinary services being offered, as determined by the State Board of
Veterinary Medicine. |
| (3) |
"Clean and
orderly" for the purposes of these rules means the expected level of care and
environmental quality in accordance with the animal species and the scope of
veterinary services being offered, as determined by the State Board of
Veterinary Medicine. |
| (4) |
"Good
State" for the purposes of these rules means the expected level of care and
environmental quality in accordance with the animal species and the scope of
veterinary services being offered, as determined by the State Board of
Veterinary Medicine. |
| (5) |
"Proper"
for the purposes of these rules means the expected level of care and
environmental quality in accordance with the animal species and the scope of
veterinary services being offered, as determined by the State Board of
Veterinary Medicine. |
| (6) |
"Veterinary facility" means any premises owned or operated by a veterinarian or
his or her employer where the practice of veterinary medicine occurs, including
but not limited to veterinary hospitals, clinics, or mobile clinics; provided,
however, that such does not include a client's private property where a
licensed veterinarian treats the client's animals. For the purposes of these
rules, veterinary facility does not include vehicles used for large animal
ambulatory practice. |
| (1) |
A
licensed veterinarian employed at a veterinary facility is responsible to
assure that the following criteria pertaining to facilities are met:
| (a) |
Facility must maintain appropriate
federal, state and local permits. |
| (b) |
Facility must be appropriately
secured. |
| (c) |
Facility must be
sanitary. |
| (d) |
Facility must be well
ventilated. |
| (e) |
Facility must be
appropriately illuminated. |
| (f) |
Facility must be in a good state of repair. |
| (g) |
Facility walls and floors must be easily
sanitized. |
| (h) |
Facility must have
means for disposal of dead animals, tissue, hazardous materials, medical waste
which must meet local and state requirements. |
| (i) |
Facility must have exterior legible
sign. |
| (j) |
Facility must keep
grounds clean and orderly, if applicable. |
| (k) |
Facility must have a restroom in working
order which is maintained in a clean and orderly manner. Mobile clinics are
exempt from this requirement. |
| (l) |
Facility must have clean and orderly receiving area. |
| (m) |
Facility must have a telephone answering
machine or answering service available after business hours. |
| (n) |
Facility must have a holding or housing
area with proper sanitation, ventilation, lighting, size, and temperature
appropriate for the animal species. |
| (o) |
Facility must have appropriate waste
receptacles available. |
| (p) |
Facility
must have effective insect and rodent control. |
| (q) |
Facility must store pharmaceuticals,
biologicals, reagents and lab samples in accordance with label directions or
other instructions. |
| (r) |
Facility
must have fire extinguisher with current annual inspection. |
| (s) |
Facility must post in a
prominent public area a copy of the current license issued by the Georgia State
Board of Veterinary Medicine or current online verification of licensure from
the Board website for each veterinarian and veterinary technician working at
the facility. |
|
| (1) |
A licensed
veterinarian at a veterinary facility is responsible to ensure that the
following criteria pertaining to housing animals are met:
| (a) |
Each animal must be contained in a secure
manner. |
| (b) |
Each animal must be
identified as appropriate. |
| (c) |
Contagious animals must be isolated as appropriate. |
|
| (1) |
Complete,
accurate and legible records must be maintained on all animals, or animal
groups, including but not limited to, animal owner information, animal
identification, and veterinary care (hereinafter referred to as "patient
records").
| (a) |
All patient records must be
maintained for a minimum of 3 years (including diagnostic imaging and other
patient data) by the veterinary facility where the patient received treatment.
If treatment is not performed at a veterinary facility, a patient record must
be maintained by the veterinarian who provided treatment of the
patient. |
| (b) |
The veterinarian must
furnish clients with an established mailing address for obtaining patient
records. |
| (c) |
The requirements of
subparagraphs (a) shall not apply to a veterinarian who has retired or sold his
or her professional practice if said veterinarian has notified the client of
such retirement or sale and offered to provide the patient records or copies
thereof to another veterinarian of the client's choice or has furnished the
client with an established mailing address to submit a request for obtaining
patient records. |
|
| (1) |
A
licensed veterinarian employed at a veterinary facility must ensure that
equipment is available as appropriate. |
| (1) |
A licensed
veterinarian employed at a veterinary facility must ensure that emergency
treatment or access to emergency treatment to clients with an established
veterinary-client-patient relationship is provided. If emergency coverage is
not provided, there must be established, documented referral coverage available
to cover emergencies. |
| (1) |
A licensed
veterinarian employed at a veterinary facility must ensure that the following
criteria pertaining to drugs and the pharmacy are met:
| (a) |
All controlled substances must be
maintained in compliance with federal and state requirements. |
| (b) |
All pharmaceuticals dispensed must be
properly labeled in accordance with state and federal requirements. |
| (c) |
Outdated pharmaceuticals must be
separated, stored, returned or disposed of in accordance with federal, state
and local requirements. |
| (d) |
The
pharmacy must be maintained in a clean and orderly manner. |
| (e) |
If utilizing controlled substances,
documentation of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration certificates must be on
premises. |
| (f) |
All pharmaceuticals
on the premises must be properly labeled with drug name, concentration or
activity, and expiration date. |
| (g) |
A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship must be established before
prescription medications can be dispensed or prescriptions released. |
|
| (1) |
A
licensed veterinarian employed at a veterinary facility must ensure that the
following criteria pertaining to surgical standards are met if surgical
procedures are performed in the facility:
| (a) |
Dose and type of anesthesia, and weight and physical exam findings, as
appropriate, must be recorded in the patient record. |
| (b) |
Name of licensed veterinarian performing
the surgery must be recorded in the patient record. |
| (c) |
A surgery table must be used as
appropriate. Such table must have an impervious surface suitable for cleaning
and disinfecting. The surgical area must be clean, orderly, and well
illuminated. |
| (d) |
All surgery must
be performed by a licensed veterinarian utilizing aseptic technique as
appropriate for the procedure. |
| (e) |
Surgical equipment must be sterilized in the following manner:
| 1. |
Cold sterilization must be limited to
instruments used in minor or other procedures as appropriate, or limited to
those instruments that can not be sterilized otherwise. |
| 2. |
Surgical instruments other than those
applicable to 1. above must be sterilized utilizing autoclave, gas, or other
technique acceptable to the Board. |
|
| (f) |
Oxygen and equipment for administration
must be available as appropriate. |
| (g) |
Facilities and equipment for
resuscitation must be readily available as appropriate. |
|
| (1) |
A licensed
veterinarian employed at a veterinary facility must ensure that the following
criteria pertaining to the examination area are met:
| (a) |
Area must be maintained in a clean and
orderly manner. |
| (b) |
Impervious
waste receptacle must be provided. |
| (c) |
Disposable towels and a sink must be
readily accessible as appropriate. A sink in a restroom is not considered
acceptable. |
| (d) |
The examination
table must have an impervious surface suitable for cleaning and
disinfecting. |
|
| (1) |
A licensed
veterinarian employed at a veterinary facility must ensure that the following
criteria pertaining to radiology are met:
| (a) |
Radiological equipment must be of sufficient quality to produce acceptable
diagnostic images. |
| (b) |
Facility
must comply with all federal, state, and local radiological safety
requirements. |
|
| (2) |
If
radiological services are not offered at a facility, referral radiological
services should be made available. |
| (1) |
For
hospitalized or sick animals that are maintained in a veterinary facility, a
licensed veterinarian must physically visit the facility and see each animal
daily. |
| (2) |
Patients recovering from
anesthesia must be properly monitored as appropriate. |
During the biennial license renewal period, each licensed
veterinarian who is employed at a veterinary facility and providing veterinary
care must state on his or her renewal application that the facility in which he
or she is employed is in compliance with the minimum standards outlined in this
Chapter. Such application form must have clear instructions on how the
applicant is to complete the application subject to this
requirement.
