Patient Confidentiality

We have a Patient Confidentiality Policy as well, and follow the same guidelines. We have found that we also have to refer to this policy when Owners of other pets are visiting in the treatment area. They will often ask about patients other than their own pets, and we let them know that we cannot give out patient information without owner consent. Most clients understand this policy and are appreciative that information is not shared casually.

We have recently developed a similar policy concerning staff information because an irate client asked for a technician's last name and wanted to know when they worked again. We also have vendors calling and asking to speak to management staff; these individuals often have the office manager or inventory managers name, which lends credibility to their request for information or facilitates communication with one of the above individuals.

Our receptionists are in the position of helping people, and they are amazing at their jobs. They are good people who would never dream of using personal information to cause harm, so it's difficult to understand that there are people out there that will. This policy helps prevent inadvertent sharing of information, and offers the receptionists a concrete policy to refer to when faced with an insistent client or vendor.