Referral

Policy

NZVA believes that where it is practical, veterinarians should refer clients to specialists or to colleagues with special skills and/ or equipment in all cases where the competency required is beyond that which they possess themselves.

Explanation

The practice of veterinary medicine has become very complex.  It is not possible for all veterinarians to provide a full range of skills even within a multi person practice. The Code of Professional Conduct (2007) states: ‘Veterinarians must recognise their limitations, in either competence or resources, to perform to an acceptable standard and take all reasonable steps to avoid exceeding those limits.’  Therefore it is incumbent on a veterinarian to offer to refer any case that requires competencies or capabilities that he/she lacks.

Referral is the professional approach to increasing the range of services available through a practice without that practice having to actually provide the skills, equipment and knowledge required.  If handled appropriately, the client, the referring veterinarian and the veterinarian being referred to, can benefit from the process of referral. The Code of Professional Conduct sets out expectations of referring and referral veterinarians.

The public is aware of the option of referral and it should be encouraged if the animal's needs can best be met that way.

Veterinarians should consider the use of expert advice from outside the veterinary profession.

Guidelines

1. Under the Veterinarians Act 2005, veterinarians can only be registered as specialists if they meet the required criteria laid down by the Veterinary Council of New Zealand.  A list of registered specialists can be found in the VCNZ “Register of Veterinarians” – this can be found online at http://www.vetcouncil.org.nz/specialistList.php.
2. Veterinarians involved in the referral situation should consult with the chosen expert on all relevant matters before referral proceeds.  These would include:
   
   1. work up of the case
   2. provision of existing information about the case
   3. financial arrangements
   4. attendance of the referring veterinarian during specialist treatment
   5. return of the case to the referring veterinarian
   6. follow up visits
   7. supply of medication
3. Upon discharge of the case, the veterinarian with special expertise should supply the referring veterinarian with immediate information about the case and any relevant instructions, followed up with a timely formal written and/or oral report describing actions taken.
4. The veterinarian with special expertise should not encourage the client to revisit for matters unrelated to the previous treatment unless requested to do so by the referring veterinarian.

Policy Files: 

1l - Referral - Mar10.pdf