Practice Management
Don’t Race Through Your Horse’s Records
By Tom Rosenthal
Equine veterinarians who treat horses at the racetrack must comply with all the medical record keeping requirements shared by their colleagues in other practice types, but the unique nature of horseracing places specific demands on practitioners working at the track, said Jeff A. Blea, DVM, the equine medical director, University of California—Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine.
Recordkeeping for veterinarians at the racetrack poses unique challenges because of the volume of patients seen daily, having to deal with the racehorses’ trainers instead of directly with the horses’ owners and meeting the local regulatory agencies mandated reporting requirements, Blea said at the 70th Annual AAEP Convention, in Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Blea strongly urged equine veterinarians who practice at racetracks to learn the regulations issued by both their state veterinary boards as well as their state racing commission because the requirements may differ.
An important way in which racetrack practice differs from clinic practices is client consent. Client consent is incredibly important, according to Dr. Blea, and “it’s becoming more important on the racetrack.”
Who’s the Client?
This is an important consideration on the track. Who speaks for the animal and who will pay for that animal’s care is something every veterinarian needs to know. Before 2024, under the state practice act of California, the client was the owner of the animal. However, he noted, “If you practice on the racetrack, you never see the owner of the animal.”
In 2024, the definition changed in California. Now, the client is the person who deals with the veterinarian, Dr. Blea said. That will be different depending on where you practice.
He stressed that veterinarians who practice at the track should have the horses’ trainers sign a form stating they are the representatives of the owner of that horse. “You must have a Veterinarian Client Patient Relationship form. You’re covered. Very simple. Put that in the record,” Dr. Blea said.
“Recordkeeping is not sexy. It’s not something that’s in neon lights, but it needs to be in neon lights,” Dr. Blea said. “Know your state practice act.”
There is a legal presumption of what your records should contain (see box). “That’s the basis of where you want to start with your records,” Dr. Blea said.
Records must be contemporaneous, he said. “In other words, they have to be completed within 24 hours,” Dr. Blea said. “Some states give you a little bit of a leeway for holidays and weekends. Again, check your local practice act in your state or the state you practice in to see what contemporaneous means.”
That deadline is a bit onerous, but it is essential to abide by it. “It’s tough, believe me, I understand.”
Additionally, records for each patient must remain at the “facility.” How do you keep your records at the racetrack when you have no office there? “You can’t take your records home. If you’re in a clinic, easy, and that’s a no-brainer, no problem.”
Dr. Blea recommended electronic records and the use of technology to help facilitate good recordkeeping at the track. Writing the records for each horse on paper and then submitting them to the office at the end of the week “won’t fly” because of the contemporaneous record-keeping requirement, he said.
Voice dictation software can benefit racetrack veterinarians, according to Dr. Blea and there are several available, and they are always being upgraded to enable the veterinarian to work more efficiently.
“You have to develop good habits throughout the day,” Dr. Blea said. “That’s easy said, more difficult to do.” He advised veterinarians develop good recordkeeping habits with their assistants and technicians. “Set some time aside throughout the day and try and get all those records done and complete. Once you go to electronic records, you’d wish you’d done it 25 years ago.”
Electronic records enable veterinarians at the track to ensure their records are accurate for any treatment, particularly any emergency surgery performed. They also address the issue of illegible handwriting as well as proof that the records were not altered. Electronic records also assist in maintaining the required log of controlled drugs dispensed while moving from horse to horse at the track. Additionally, conversations with clients via texts can be preserved. “In this day and age, a lot of communication on the racetrack is done via text,” Dr. Blea said. All that information can be transferred to the record, so if there is any question later, the veterinarian has a record.
At the racetrack on a typical day, everyone is busy running around. Trainers are here for a while, then they’re gone and then you’re dealing with the assistant trainer. “Just upload the texts to your record. It’s a real beneficial tool to have whenever you get a complaint or a threat of a lawsuit.” MEV