Purpose of the Medical Record
- Assist in protecting the legal interest of the patient, client, hospital, and clinical staff by documenting diagnostic and treatment methods.
- Support veterinary medical services to the patient (facilitate patient care)
- Facilitate accurate evaluation of patient progress.
- Provide a means of communication between clinicians, technicians, etc.
- Provide clinical data for our use in evaluating treatments, outcomes, procedures, etc.
Policies and General Comments
- The records are legal documents. All content is CONFIDENTIAL.
- All entries shall be legible, written in black ink, dated (with the time), and signed.
- Entries should be of a professional nature only. No editorial comments are appropriate.
- Entries should be prompt and complete.
- Avoid abbreviation and symbols.
- Corrections or errors made on the record should not be erased, but should be lined out with a single line, corrected, and initialed (with the date).
Completing Medical Records
All records must be complete. Do not forget to include:
- Body weight
- Pertinent tests, such as Coggins tests
- All treatments received (including sedation, blocks, etc.)
History
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- Allergies (especially to any medications)
- Vaccinations and deworming (specifically with dates – especially for tetanus vaccinations)
- Nutritional information (specifically how much hay and grain and how often)
- Past medical history (including previous medical problems, length of ownership, and use)
- History of the problem (be specific in details)
Physical Examination
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- Be complete (examining every body system possible). Do not focus simply on the area of the problem. More problems are missed by not looking than by misinterpreting what is seen.
- Describe all abnormalities completely.
- Comments should be described using proper anatomical terminology. Someone who has not seen the animal should have an accurate appreciation for the problem by only reading the record. Example – a wound description should include length, width, depth, structures involved, and correct topographical location. (i.e. 4 cm proximal to the accessory carpal bone on the palmar aspect of the right forelimb)
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Problem Oriented Medical Record
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- Describe the horse and its current state completely. A person not familiar with the case should know the animal’s problems, current status, and plans by reading the record.
- Each problem should be clearly identified in the record, and comments regarding the status of that problem should be made at least daily (more often if there are changes occurring during the day). For example, a horse may come in with a colic problem and a corneal ulcer (from thrashing). There should be notes regarding each problem in the record, but there will likely be more frequent notes regarding the colic, as that condition is more volatile.
- Each problem is described in the record using subjective and objective data (S and O), an assessment of the problem (A), and a plan for dealing with the problem (P). This is referred to as SOAP-ing a case.
S/O (Subjective / Objective Data)
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- What you know and see about the animal
- Facts and findings
- Examples include, but are not limited to, TPR, appetite, bowel movements, urination, attitude, current description of lesions and other problems.
- Pertinent laboratory findings (whether abnormal or not) as appropriate (i.e. PCV / TP).
- Results of other diagnostic tests (radiographs, ultrasound, etc.)
- Brief reviews of phone conversations with owners, referring DVM, insurance companies, etc.
A (Assessment)
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- What do you think about the animal
- Differential diagnoses (rule-out list)
- Evaluation of abnormalities listed in S/O
- Progress of case
- Prognosis
P (Plan)
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- What you plan to do with the animal on that given day
- Diagnostic plan (specifically…not just radiographs, but radiographs of the right carpus)
- Treatment plan. On the first day of a given treatment include comprehensive treatment plan including drug dosage, calculations, and duration). For example:
Procaine penicillin G at 22,000 IU/kg bid IM for 5 days (10 million units [33 cc] IM bid for 5 days)
On successive days, Procaine penicillin G – 10 million units IM bid (3rd day of 5 day treatment)
- Discharge plan
- Client education plan
ABBREVIATIONS
Ab                                   Antibiotics
Ace                                  Acepromazine
ad                                    Right ear
Ad lib                               as much as wants
Ag                                   Antigen
AI                                    Artificial insemination
AP                                   Anterior / posterior
as                                     Left ear
ASAP                               As soon as possible
au                                    both ears
BAR                  Bright, alert, responsive
Basos                                Basophils
Bid                                   Twice daily
C&S or C/S                       Culture and sensitivity
CBC                                 Complete Blood Count
cc                                     Cubic centimeter
CNS                                 Central nervous system
CRT                                 Capillary refill time
CSF                                 Cerebrospinal fluid
DDx                                 Differential diagnoses
Derm                                Dermatology
Disp                                 Dispensed
DJD                                 Degenerative joint disease
DMSO                              Dimethylsulfoxide
DV                                   Dorsoventral
Dx                                   Diagnosis
Dz                                    Disease
EOD (also QOD)               Every other day
ECG (or EKG)                  Electrocardiogram
Eos                                  Eosinophils
FUO                                 Fever of unknown origin
GI                                    Gastrointestinal
g                                      Gram
Hct                                   Hematocrit
Hgb                                  Hemoglobin
HR                                   Heart rate
Hx                                   History
ICU                                  Intensive care unit
IM                                    Intramuscular
IV                                    Intravenous
Jt                                     Joint
KCl                                  Potassium Chloride
kg                                    Kilogram
L                                     Left
lb                                     Pound
LN                                   Lymph node
LRS                                 Lactated Ringer’s solution
Mc, Mt                             Metacarpal, metatarsal
Mg                                 Milligram
ml                                    Milliliter
Note: 1ml=1cc 12mls =12ccs
MM                                  Mucous membrane
Monos                              Monocytes
NaCl                                Sodium Chloride
NG                                   Nasogastric
NOS                                 No ova seen
NPO                                 Nothing per os
NSAID                             Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NSF                                 No significant findings
O                                     Owner
od                                    Right eye
Ophtho                             Ophthalmology
OR                                   Operating room
os                                    Left eye
ou                                   Both eyes
 PCV                                 Packed cell volume
PE                                    Physical examination
PHx                                 Past history
 PO                                   Per os
PreOp                               Preoperative
PRN                                 As needed
PU/PD                              Polyuria / Polydipsia
Px                                    Prognosis
q                                      Every (as in q 2h – every 2 hours)
QAR                                 Quiet, alert, responsive
qid                                    Four times daily
R                                      Right
Rads                                  Radiographs
RBC                                  Red blood cell
RDVM                              Referring veterinarian
ReÖ                                   Recheck
Rec                                   Recommend
R/O                                   Rule out
ROM                                 Range of motion
RR                                    Respiratory rate
Rx                                     Prescription
SC (or SQ)                         Subcutaneous
SG                                    Specific gravity
sid                                   Once per day
SOAP                                See above in records
STAT                                Immediate
Sx                                     Surgery
TGH                                  To go home
tid                                   Three times daily
TNTC                                Too numerous to count
TP                                     Total protein
TPR                                  Temperature, pulse, respiration
TTW                                 Transtracheal wash
Tx                                     Treatment
UA                                    Urinalysis
US                                    Ultrasound
Vx                                    Vaccination
W/                                    With
WBC                                 White blood cell
W/O                                  Without
WNL                                 Within normal limits
Wt                                    Weight