2023 Hawaii Revised Statutes › Title 25. Professions and Occupations › 471. Veterinary Medicine › 471-1 Definitions.

§471-1 Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
"Animal" means any animal except human beings.
"Board" means the Hawaii board of veterinary medicine of the State.
"Client" means the animal patient's owner, owner's agent, or other person presenting the animal patient for care.
"Consultation" means when a veterinarian seeks and receives advice in person, telephonically, electronically, or by any other method of communication from another veterinarian or other person whose expertise, in the opinion of the veterinarian, would benefit an animal patient.
"Continuing education courses" means courses approved by the Hawaii board of veterinary medicine, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Veterinary State Boards' Registry, or other board-approved organizations.
"Credit hour" means, except as otherwise provided, the value assigned to fifty minutes of instruction.
"Emergency response" means the response to a natural or human-caused disaster.
"Indirect supervision" means the veterinarian is not on the premises, but:
(1) Has given either written or oral instructions for treatment of the animal patient;
(2) Is readily available by telephone or other forms of immediate communication; and
(3) Has assumed responsibility for the veterinary care given to the animal patient by a person working under their sponsorship.
"Jurisdiction" means another state, the District of Columbia, or any territory of the United States, or any province of Canada.
"Patient" or "animal patient" means any animal or group of animals receiving veterinary care from a veterinarian.
"Practice of veterinary medicine" means the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or prescribing for the prevention, cure, or relief of, or the giving of advice concerning, a disease, pain, injury, deformity, or other condition of an animal, or a change of a physical characteristic of an animal for cosmetic or utility purposes. "Practice of veterinary medicine" includes medical, surgical, and dental care of animals.
"Sponsor" means a veterinarian who requests the presence and medical assistance of an individual licensed to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in another jurisdiction.
"Veterinarian" means a person duly licensed in the State to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine.
"Veterinarian-client-patient relationship" means a relationship that exists when:
(1) The veterinarian and client agree for the veterinarian to assume responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the animal patient;
(2) The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal patient to initiate a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal patient, which means that the veterinarian is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal patient and has recently physically examined the animal patient or made timely and medically appropriate visits to the premises where the animal patient is kept;
(3) The veterinarian is readily available or provides for follow-up care and treatment in case of adverse reactions or failure of the therapy regimen; and
(4) The veterinarian maintains records that document animal patient visits, consultations, diagnosis and treatment, and other relevant information required under this chapter.
"Veterinarian-client-patient relationship" includes the provision of on-call or cross-coverage services by a veterinarian who has been designated by a veterinarian with an existing veterinarian-client-patient relationship and has access to relevant animal patient records.
"Veterinary teleadvice" means the provision of health information, opinion, guidance, or recommendations that are not specific to a particular animal through the use of electronic communication, including telephone and audio-visual technology.
"Veterinary telemedicine" means the practice of veterinary medicine subsequent to the establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship where animal patient care, treatment, and services are provided through the use of electronic communication, including telephone and audio-visual technology, consistent with the veterinarian's professional judgment.
"Veterinary telesupervision" means the remote supervision of a veterinary assistant, veterinary technician, or other employee of a veterinarian who administers medication or who renders auxiliary or supporting assistance under the responsible supervision of a veterinarian.
"Veterinary teletriage" means using electronic communication with a client, including through a poison control agency, to provide a timely assessment and decision as to whether to immediately refer an animal patient to a veterinarian for emergency or urgent care. [L 1949, c 280, pt of §1; RL 1955, §73-1; HRS §471-1; am L 2012, c 306, §2; am L 2018, c 203, §8; am L 2022, c 71, §2]