As part of a five-year review process as well as other factors, the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board is in the process of reviewing a number of regulations it oversees. The OVMA Legislative Committee and Board of Directors made some modest recommendations in several of the rules, which are presently all in draft form. Today, the OVMLB reviewed their draft rules with suggested changes and opted to start the formal rule revision process with the entire package.
Proposed changes include:
- Modifying the animal aide rule (4741-1-14) to also allow technicians and not just veterinarians to supervise animal aides performing venipuncture.
- Changes to the vaccination clinic (4741-1-16) and home visit (4741-1-17) rules to provide greater flexibility to what and how some information is shared with clients.
- Eliminating the requirement that ambulatory livestock units (4741-1-20) have refrigeration equipment and instead requiring that drugs and biologics be properly stored.
- Updating the euthanasia agent rule (4741-1-23) to reflect changes made in corresponding statute two years ago.
- Modifying the overall structure of the continuing education rule (4741-1-11) and increasing the number of hours that can be achieved online for veterinarians from 15 to 18 hours, leaving 12 hours (or essentially the equivalent of two days) that must be taken in person. Various data and opinions were considered in reviewing this area of the rule, seeking to balance flexibility, different individual learning preferences, and minimal actual data comparing the two formats for learning effectiveness. The new rule also clarifies that all online CE delivery (live streamed and pre-recorded) will be treated the same, and those with medical conditions can request a waiver to achieve all their CE via an online format.
