This was an interesting article about a veterinarian who was suspended in Maryland. I think most vets in Singapore do a great job - but it's always good to have some sense of accountability. Should one encounter a vet who is negligent or callous, it would be good to have some recourse. I thought that it was a good idea to have a vet licensing body whom clients could complain to, and that there are certain ground rules. Of course, I am sure this body would investigate and be fair to both sides - clients and vets.
Currently, from what I understand the Singapore Veterinary Authority cannot censure a vet - and licensing is done by the AVA.
I think it would be good to have some guidelines on what clients can expect, and also allow clients some recourse without necessarily having to take a vet to court in case of negligence. It also helps that some things are spelt out in the Maryland rules - for example, that a vet cannot deny you a prescription that is necessary to buy medicines at a cheaper rate. I think that right now in Singapore there is a bit of a grey area with many of these issues.
5 comments:
If medication is for one time, it's easier to get from vet clinic. Most veterinary meds are probably not available at pharmacies. Even for common supplement eg aloe vera juice, one cannot be sure of the concentration or whatever. When medication proves effective & has to be given to pets over extended time, then getting available meds elsewhere wld be cost effective.
I think clients have to be understanding too as veterinary medication is part & parcel of running a vet clinic just like beverages/drinks in a restaurant.
I did encounter a vet whom i brought my dog for a second opinion. He asked for x-rays to be done and refused to consider recent ones done at my principal vet clinic (a better equipped one at that). I refused.
I discovered vets are wary of being
consulted as second opinion. I see their pt of view. Isn't it right that clients (who are laypersons) seek a second opinion when in doubt abt treatments offered?
Can clients expect the same standard of care for their pets like ... humans? After all, vet fees are as expensive as medical fees for humans - and with no insurance.
I agree that veterinary medicine is part and parcel of running the clinic - but it's not just the pharmacies that charge a different rate. Some clinics do charge quite different rates for the same meds.
I definitely think that veterinary medicine should be on par with treatment for people. It is in some other countries and we hope it will be the case in Singapore some day too.
I believe NTUC does have a pet insurance scheme but I think it's for younger animals.
I think NTUC has suspended the pet insurance and it also could not insure cats as they are banned in HBD flats.
Thanks for the link! I agree --- vets here in the U.S. may be reluctant to hand over prescriptions because as one of the other readers pointed out, these pharmacy needs are a part of their revenue stream. A pet medication delivery company has aggressively advertised its services via television commercials here and I'm sure some pet owners want to take advantage of it, or at least want the option of comparing prices as you might do for medicatiosn for humans.
Thanks for stopping in Liz! It was a most enlightening article and I'm definitely going to watch out for that pet medicine company!
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