Why Veterinarians Should Rely on Professional Document Destruction
Why Veterinarians Should Rely on Professional Document Destruction
Did you know that the first full week of May is National Pet Week? Dedicated to commemorate the furry friends that enrich our lives, it was created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Auxiliary to the AVMA in 1981. The week not only highlights the many reasons to celebrate our pets, but to raise awareness of responsible pet ownership.
Legal Shred supports the veterinarians that support the families and pets that are in their care. While no one is out to steal the identity of Fido or Fluffy, chances are, your social security number is on the paperwork of your pet’s medical records for billing purposes, and that is one big piece of information that requires proper disposal so your identity isn’t compromised.
Of course, that also means your name, address, telephone number, and place of business may also accompany this sensitive information, and to wrongdoers, this is a prime target for a myriad of malicious acts.
You trust your pet’s health with your veterinarian, and veterinarians, you should also be trusted to properly handle and dispose of medical records should the need arise to clean out your systems. Exactly how long should vets hang onto the records of their patients?
According to the Veterinary Medical Board, medical records should be maintained for at least three years past the animal’s last visit.
Because medical records are confidential to pet owners, they must be destroyed in a manner that will prevent unauthorized access. Shredding is the safest, most secure way to dispose of these records.
Most health care and medical professionals, veterinarians included, must understand that it is vital to properly destroy medical records in order to protect the privacy of their clients. When medical records are being discarded, it is imperative that the medical records destruction process be managed with utmost care and professionalism, and Legal Shred can offer that to veterinarians across the state of Florida.
With our knowledge of all shredding laws in Florida, we can help mitigate risk to veterinary clients while keeping vet practices compliant.
Call Legal Shred today for a quote for all of your veterinary document destruction needs.