Our goal is to keep communications between our doctors and all of our clients as open as possible.  We have to ensure the amount of time spent reviewing cases, researching options, and revising treatment plans is equitable for each client.  As such, we do have a fee structure for phone consultations and email consultations with our doctors.

 

With every home visit (for any reason) or laboratory test, you receive two follow-up phone calls or e-mails from a doctor or technician at no charge, regardless of length.

Communication in excess of the two follow up calls will follow a fee schedule.

 

The doctor has the discretion to not charge for any communication, especially those that require only a one or two sentence response.

 

Calls and e-mails with our client liaison (reception) are always available without charge.

 

Phone Communications

Our doctors are generally not available for phone calls during normal business hours.  During our business hours, they are either in house calls, completing medical records for the patients they are visiting that day or corresponding with the office staff regarding logistics. To connect by phone, doctors must stay late, after their normal work time.

 

Phone consultations with a veterinarian are available to be scheduled as needed when a client feels they need to hear directly from a doctor about an issue with their pet.

 

If your pet experiences an entirely new health concern, a home visit will be required.  Our doctors are unable to diagnose and treat new issues without an examination.  We want to give you the best possible advice...and typically to do that, we need to see and touch the patient.

 

Phone consultations may be scheduled at a rate of $180/hr billed in 15-minute increments of $45.00.  There is a minimum charge of $45.

 

Email Communications

We encourage the use of email, however, responding to the many e-mails that we receive on a daily basis takes a significant amount of time to read and respond to.  Time spent answering emails is time that the doctors are not examining animals, writing up medical records or researching the latest treatments.  Please remember that though we see fewer patients than a clinic-based vet might, providing detailed and thoughtful email responses takes a lot of time - typically hours every day.

 

Doctors do have personal discretion to not charge for e-mail communications, especially when they are only one or two sentences.  Communications that require the doctor to review your pet's chart, make adjustments to treatment plans and relay those changes to you will require a fee for the doctors time.

 

If you are reporting a new health issue via email, a home visit will be required.  Our doctors are unable to diagnose and treat new issues without an examination.  We want to give you the best possible advice...and typically to do that, we need to see and touch the patient.

 

E-mails that require more than a one or two sentence response from the doctor are charged at a rate of $180/hr in 15-minute increments of $45.  There is a minimum charge of $45.