President’s Message
IVMA President
Dr. Hilary Christner
Greetings!
It is my pleasure and distinct honor to serve as your IVMA President in 2021. I am excited and proud to lead this association.
The IVMA officers and board of directors are gearing up to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based) Goals for IVMA in 2021-2022. The board meets <virtually> on March 17th to finalize the goals and will begin to review the action items associated with achieving these goals.
IVMA
Legislative Updates
The Indiana General Assembly began their work in earnest the week of January 11, 2021. Legislation that may impact veterinary medicine is monitored closely by the IVMA’s governmental relations team at The Corydon Group and an active IVMA Legislative Working Group.
Telehealth is a key area of interest for legislators in this session given the current state of the pandemic and the implications of delivering health care on human side. Two bills related to this topic have been introduced and do include veterinary medicine.
Continuing Education
A Review of Continuing Education Rules for Veterinarians
Veterinarians are required to have completed forty (40) hours of continuing education acquired between October 15, 2019 and October 15, 2021. Veterinary licenses expire on October 15 of odd numbered years. The next renewal date is OCTOBER 15, 2021. Of these 40 hours, at least half of the hours (20) must be obtained by in-person continuing education. This in-person requirement can be met by participating in virtual meetings that are offered “live” with the speaker. The other half of the hours may be obtained through self-study.
Continuing Education Derived from Self-study
Continuing education derived from self-study will be accepted as renewal credit under the following conditions:
Member Services
Glad YOU Asked That
Below are questions that have been asked by IVMA members over the last few months. Answers are provided below. As always, though, consult your own legal counsel for specific legal advice.
Question: How long do I have to keep animal health records?
Answer: You must keep animal health records for three (3) years after the last encounter with the animal.
Note that it is important to document, document, document. Further, it is appropriate to include in the animal health record communication you have with the client regarding treatment options and if diagnostics were offered or recommended, if referral was offered or recommended, and if the client refused the recommended diagnostics, treatment plan, or referral.