Quality Assurance for Veterinary Practices in Alberta

Practice Inspection and Practice Standards (PIPS)
Excellence In Alberta Veterinary Facilities

Veterinarians are accountable to the public, their clients, patients, and colleagues for the quality of service they provide.

What are PIPS?

PIPS stands for Practice Inspection and Practice Standards. Professional conduct rules govern the practise of veterinary medicine. Practice Standards govern the actual facility where the practise is conducted. In Alberta, every veterinary facility must meet certain standards.

Facilities are audited on a three-year rotation to ensure they meet the standards.

What is inspected?

Veterinary facilities are audited for:

• proper professional, business and workplace standards
• facility standards including animal housing and care
• specific equipment requirements (including x-ray and surgery equipment)
• maintenance of proper medical records
• safe drug storage and disposal
• biosecurity standards
• proper biomedical waste handling
• orderly and sanitary premises
• a medical reference library
• adequate staffing

1. Primary Care
2. Primary Care - Ambulatory
3. Dentistry - Companion Animal
4. Dentistry - Equine
5. Surgery
6. General Anaesthesia
7. Animal Housing
8. Diagnostic Imaging
9. Pharmacy
10. Complementary / Alternative Therapy
11. Embryo Transfer
12. Rehabilitative Therapy

What do the PIPS guidelines mean for you?

Practice Inspection and Practice Standards protect you and the animals you own by ensuring consistently high standards for animal health care facilities. Your veterinarian has invested considerable time and resources in conforming to the PIPS guidelines. Your veterinarian demonstrates a commitment to excellence in animal health by meeting or exceeding the Practice Standard requirements and supporting the Practice Inspection process.

You can have confidence and trust in your veterinarian, knowing the facility where your animal receives care meets these high standards.

Who sets the Practice Standards?

The Practice Standards are part of the Bylaws of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (AB.VMA). The AB.VMA is the governing body that regulates and licenses veterinarians in Alberta. To practise veterinary medicine in Alberta you must be a member of the AB.VMA. The Provincial legislation governing the practise of veterinary medicine (the Veterinary Profession Act) requires the AB.VMA to establish the standards necessary to operate a facility.

Practice Standards are set by the PIPS committee of the AB.VMA, which is made up of practising veterinarians. The committee makes recommendations to change the AB.VMA Bylaws. AB.VMA members then vote on accepting the recommended changes.

How are the Practice Standards enforced?

Each year, every veterinary facility in Alberta completes a detailed self-audit Quality Assurance (QA) Guide.  The AB.VMA hires veterinarians to be PIPS auditors that verify the submitted QA Guide of every veterinary facility in Alberta at least once every three years. Veterinarians support the process by paying fees. NO taxpayer dollars are used in this process.

After an audit the facility owner is notified in writing of any deficiencies. These must be corrected or addressed within one month. Once a facility passes their audit, a certificate is issued that must be displayed.

Look for the PIPS Certificate displayed on your veterinarian's facility walls.
Your veterinarian has earned it; you have a right to expect it.