Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Every
veterinarian or entity licensed pursuant to chapter 474, F.S., who terminates
practice or relocates practice and is no longer available to patients or
clients, shall retain medical records pertaining to patients for at least a
period of 3 years after the date of last entry.
(2) No later than one month after the
veterinarian or entity terminates practice or relocates practice and is no
longer available to patients or clients, the veterinarian or entity shall do
one of the following:
(a) Cause to be
published in the newspaper of greatest general circulation in the county where
the veterinarian or entity resided or practiced, a notice indicating to the
owners of the patients of said veterinarian or entity that the medical records
are available to the owners of the patients or their duly constituted
representative from a specific person at a specific location. At the conclusion
of a 3 year period of time from the date that the veterinarian or entity
terminated practice or relocated practice and was no longer available to
patients or clients, the veterinarian or entity shall cause to be published
once during each week for 2 consecutive weeks, in the newspaper of greatest
general circulation in the county where the veterinarian resided or practiced,
a notice indicating to the owners of the patients of the veterinarian or entity
that the medical records may be disposed of or destroyed one month or later
from the last day of the 4th week of publication of
notice. However, nothing herein shall be construed to require that a
veterinarian or entity ever destroy the medical records; it permits destruction
of records after 3 years and requires notification to clients that the records
can be destroyed.
(b) Send
electronic notifications, either email or text, to all clients that have been
seen within the last 3 years a notice indicating to the owners of the patients
of the veterinarian or terminated or relocated practice, that the
veterinarian's medical records are available to the owners of the patients or
their duly constituted representative from a specific person at a certain
location and that the veterinarian's medical reocrds will be disposed of or
destroyed in 2 years.
Rulemaking Authority
474.206,
455.242 FS. Law Implemented
455.242
FS.
New 11-1-88, Formerly 21X-18.0015, Amended 7-4-95,
5-23-23.
