After-hours Submissions

Effective immediately, please call the after-hours technician to care for your diagnostic submissions that will be delivered to the VDL between 5:00pm and 8:00am or on weekends or holidays, whether it is a small box or a body. The phone number is 515-290-1969. Please call at least 15 minutes before arrival to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The technician will meet you at the lab to properly log in your case. In the event that you do not make contact within 15 minutes, please drop off your sample at the VTH Small Animal Desk, however, we are moving away from utilizing VTH clinic employees and rotation students to assist with case handling.  DMJ/LJH 8/8/2007

Billing Policies

Cases are billed to the referring veterinarian/client unless otherwise indicated on the submission form.  Owners may not be billed directly.

A monthly statement will be sent from Iowa State University Accounts Receivable office.  For all charges that are not paid within 30 days of the monthly statement, there will be a finance charge computed from the statement date.  ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE: 12%.  Payments should be directed to: ISU Treasurer's Office, 1220 Beardshear, Ames IA  50011. Statement No:  2007 34164  (currently on our invoices)

Complaints and Concerns

Your concerns are important to us.  Please call the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at 515-294-1950 or use the form located on our website here.  Complaints will be handled by the Director of Operations or an authorized delegate.

Confidentiality

Results are reported to the referring veterinarian/client via their previously stated preference of mail, email or FAX. 

The following statement is included with all emailed case reports.

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:

This E-mail (including the attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C.§§ 2510-2521, is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any retention, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Please reply to the sender that you have received the message in error, then delete it.

Information regarding research/diagnostic cases submitted to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will be forever held in strict confidence by the laboratory and personnel therein.  We are committed to protecting a client’s confidential information and proprietary rights. 

This information includes:

• Client names, address and other demographic information.
• Owner name, address and other demographic information.
• Specific submission information regarding tests or items submitted.
• Test condition (i.e. the quantity/quality) of specimens noted upon receipt.
• Test results, which are available only to the veterinarian, clinic, or other authorized person and will not be released without proper request and authorization. Test results are available to the authorized submitter via the Internet and are password protected.

When positive test results are determined to be on the Federal or state reportable diseases list, the ISUVDL will release required information to the appropriate agencies.  This may include; information on the testing veterinarian, animal identification and owner information. 

Protection of the client’s confidentiality and proprietary rights is an accreditation requirement as well as legal concern.

Disposal - Accepting Animals for Disposal

The VDL does not accept submissions for disposal purposes only.

Reportable and Quarantinable Diseases Policy

Several infectious or contagious diseases are considered reportable and/or quarantinable under current regulations.  As required by law, these diseases are reported to the responsible state or federal agencies.  If you are uncertain about the reporting status of a disease, please contact the office of the State Veterinarian.  Notifiable diseases include any livestock or poultry disease designated as a ‘Foreign Animal Disease’ by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Veterinary Services (USDA, APHIS, VS) and also the following:

Return of Bodies and Cosmetic Posting

As of September 15, 2008, no animal carcasses or ashes will be returned/released to veterinarians
or animal owners.  Arrangement for pickup by authorized crematory service is an option.

No cosmetic posts will be performed on animals/bodies submitted to the laboratory for necropsy/testing.

Please call the Laboratory Director with questions and additional details relating to these policies. LJH 09/15/2009

Specimen Submission

The VDL only accepts specimens referred by a licensed veterinarian (exceptions may include government officials, research scientists, and corporate partners).  The appropriate submission form must accompany all specimens.  See individual sections (Pathology, Bacteriology, Virology, Serology, and Toxicology) for complete instructions on packaging and shipping specimens.

Subcontract Testing

The ISU VDL reserves the right to subcontract any work required to complete testing of any and all submissions.  Any subcontracted work will be noted on the case report.