9.7.1. Verbal High-Risk Waivers

⚠️ Important: To use high-risk waiver tools, your clinic must be using Patient Flow. These workflows are only available within Patient Flow.

HQ automates the process of collecting high-risk waivers through workflows for verbal consent or email consent (see next section). The ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance uses verbal waivers for owners, shelters, and transport partners. Your clinic may choose this model or adapt it to require a witness.

For a verbal high-risk waiver, staff calls the owner, reads a customized script explaining the reasons for the waiver, and records whether the owner accepts or declines. An optional setting requires a witness’s initials before moving forward.

Steps to Issue a Verbal High-Risk Waiver

1. From Patient Flow, open the Exam & Premed screen. In the Exam column, click Normal.

• This button is the entry point for everything related to an animal’s exam.

#_ On the Exam screen, click Request High-Risk Waiver.

1. Select the reason(s) for requesting the waiver.

• If you select Other, a text box will appear to specify details.
• When finished, click Done.

#_ The patient now appears in the HRW tab in Patient Flow.

• The selected reasons are listed under the patient and highlighted in yellow in the Action column.

#_ In the Action column, click Verbal.

1. A script will pop up for you to read to the client.

• The script text is customizable in Settings.
• The staff member’s name is auto-filled based on login.
• If a witness is required, they must enter their name/initials in the Witness Name text box.

#_ Use the Call Log text box to record call attempts, messages left, or other correspondence.

• This ensures all staff can view the communication history.

Customizing High-Risk Waiver Reasons

Your clinic defines waiver reasons in Settings > Medical Notes. These are highly customizable.

Accepting or Declining the Waiver

• To finalize, click Confirm HRW at the bottom of the screen.
• Choose either Owner Accepted or Owner Declined.

If Accepted:

• The system requires you to confirm you read the script and the owner accepted.
• The HRW tag turns green across the system.
• The waiver document is: ** Saved automatically to the Documents section of the patient record. ** Removed from the HRW screen. ** (Tip: Save a copy to your computer as well.)

If Declined:

• The HRW tag turns red.
• The surgery is automatically declined.
• The system records the reason as Owner declined the High-Risk Waiver.