[Med-privacy] CNN.com Animals have greater medical privacy than people
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Fri, 21 May 2004 16:31:22 EDT
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Pet privacy protected in animal hospitals
ATHENS, Georgia (AP) -- The University of Georgia's veterinary hospital
treats thousands of horses, cats, dogs, birds, reptiles and other pets each year.
But don't ask about them -- that's information for their owners only.
Hospital officials apply the same confidentiality rules for humans to their
animal patients. That means no disclosure of medical conditions, no photos
taken without an owner's consent.
It even extends to the large animal unit, where milling about is not allowed.
An owner can stand only near the stall of his pet.
"It's like a human hospital," said LaDon Wallis, a new graduate of UGA's
veterinary school who has worked at its animal hospital for six years. "It's not
just this place where animals are having a field day like a park. People should
respect that."
More veterinarians, animal hospitals and zoos nationwide are holding back
patient information since last year when the federal privacy Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act went into effect at human hospitals.
Also last year, the American Animal Hospital Association introduced new
accreditation standards requiring policies that protect the privacy of animals
treated by its 3,000 members in the United States and Canada.
"There has been an increase in awareness on the part of our profession that
we should respect the legal limitations of medical records," said Link Welborn,
a Tampa, Florida, veterinarian and past president of the Denver-based
association.
HIPAA has "probably raised our profession's awareness about potential
liability," he said.
Owner consent
At the UGA hospital, staff members were forced to hang signs on patients'
charts saying they were confidential to keep away wandering eyes. "People would
just be flipping through the records," Wallis said.
The University of Tennessee's Veterinary Teaching Hospital operates on the
premise that every individual has a right to privacy, and pets are property,
records administrator Sue Gray. It is standard procedure to first get an owner's
permission to release an animal's medical records or allow photos or video of
an animal.
"It protects individual property rights," Gray said.
California attorney Sandra Toye, who has worked on companion animal law
issues for five years, said she has seen veterinary offices refuse to release even
the most general information about trends or illnesses they are seeing.
"It seems like the trend is that they're very protective," she said.
Two years ago, Lucy Spelman, director of the National Zoo in Washington,
D.C., drew ridicule from animal rights activists, media lawyers and others when
she withheld records on the death of a 17-year-old giraffe. Spelman cited the
animal's privacy and respect for the veterinarian-animal relationship.
Often, a state's open records law dictates how much access the public is
given to patients in animal hospitals. For example, Washington State University's
Veterinary Teaching Hospital must release information and allow photos because
of that state's liberal public disclosure laws.
"Animals do not have a right to privacy like people do," said spokesman
Charles Powell.
In working with the media and handling requests from the public, Powell said
he tries to get approval from the animal's owner but isn't required to do so.
"I just don't have any other choice," he said.
Wallis said it surprises her that someone would even think of taking a
picture of an animal patient or sneaking a peek at records without the owner's
permission.
"They're pets. So many people think of them like children," she said. "People
think of animals, 'Oh they're cute,' but it's a hospital."
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/05/20/animal.privacy.ap
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<H1>Pet privacy protected in animal hospitals</H1>
<H3></H3>
<P><SPAN class=3DcnnStoryTime><BR></SPAN></P>
<P><B style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14px">ATHENS, Georgia (AP) -- The University of Ge=
orgia's veterinary hospital treats thousands of horses, cats, dogs, birds, r=
eptiles and other pets each year. But don't ask about them -- that's informa=
tion for their owners only.</B></P>
<P>Hospital officials apply the same confidentiality rules for humans to the=
ir animal patients. That means no disclosure of medical conditions, no photo=
s taken without an owner's consent.</P>
<P>It even extends to the large animal unit, where milling about is not allo=
wed. An owner can stand only near the stall of his pet.</P>
<P>"It's like a human hospital," said LaDon Wallis, a new graduate of UGA's=20=
veterinary school who has worked at its animal hospital for six years. "It's=
not just this place where animals are having a field day like a park. Peopl=
e should respect that."</P>
<P>More veterinarians, animal hospitals and zoos nationwide are holding back=
patient information since last year when the federal privacy Health Insuran=
ce Portability and Accountability Act went into effect at human hospitals.</=
P>
<P>Also last year, the American Animal Hospital Association introduced new a=
ccreditation standards requiring policies that protect the privacy of animal=
s treated by its 3,000 members in the United States and Canada.</P>
<P>"There has been an increase in awareness on the part of our profession th=
at we should respect the legal limitations of medical records," said Link We=
lborn, a Tampa, Florida, veterinarian and past president of the Denver-based=
association.</P>
<P>HIPAA has "probably raised our profession's awareness about potential lia=
bility," he said.</P><A target=3D_blank name=3D1></A>
<H3>Owner consent</H3>
<P>At the UGA hospital, staff members were forced to hang signs on patients'=
charts saying they were confidential to keep away wandering eyes. "People w=
ould just be flipping through the records," Wallis said.</P>
<P>The University of Tennessee's Veterinary Teaching Hospital operates on th=
e premise that every individual has a right to privacy, and pets are propert=
y, records administrator Sue Gray. It is standard procedure to first get an=20=
owner's permission to release an animal's medical records or allow photos or=
video of an animal.</P>
<P>"It protects individual property rights," Gray said.</P>
<P>California attorney Sandra Toye, who has worked on companion animal law i=
ssues for five years, said she has seen veterinary offices refuse to release=
even the most general information about trends or illnesses they are seeing=
.</P>
<P>"It seems like the trend is that they're very protective," she said.</P>
<P>Two years ago, Lucy Spelman, director of the National Zoo in Washington,=20=
D.C., drew ridicule from animal rights activists, media lawyers and others w=
hen she withheld records on the death of a 17-year-old giraffe. Spelman cite=
d the animal's privacy and respect for the veterinarian-animal relationship.=
</P>
<P>Often, a state's open records law dictates how much access the public is=20=
given to patients in animal hospitals. For example, Washington State Univers=
ity's Veterinary Teaching Hospital must release information and allow photos=
because of that state's liberal public disclosure laws.</P>
<P>"Animals do not have a right to privacy like people do," said spokesman C=
harles Powell.</P>
<P>In working with the media and handling requests from the public, Powell s=
aid he tries to get approval from the animal's owner but isn't required to d=
o so.</P>
<P>"I just don't have any other choice," he said.</P>
<P>Wallis said it surprises her that someone would even think of taking a pi=
cture of an animal patient or sneaking a peek at records without the owner's=
permission.</P>
<P>"They're pets. So many people think of them like children," she said. "Pe=
ople think of animals, 'Oh they're cute,' but it's a hospital."</P><BR clear=
=3Dall>
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