WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE CONSULTATION APPOINTMENT

Receipt of referral form from the referring veterinarian

The clinic will receive a form from your veterinarian detailing the pertinent information about the client they wish to refer as well as the history of the patient. The referral form will ask which department, and in some cases, which doctor, they wish their client to see.

This form may be mailed or faxed. In some instances, the veterinarian may choose to send the form, along with X-rays or other information, directly with the client to the appointment.

Owner calls to schedule consultation appointment

It is helpful if the referral form has already been faxed by your veterinarian when you make the appointment. This will help the receptionist schedule you with the appropriate department (i.e. surgery, medicine, cardiology). If the referral form has not yet been sent, this is not a problem. Consider asking your veterinarian which department or doctor they would suggest.

All incoming new patients will likely be recommended to be NPO prior to the initial consultation in preparation for any procedures. This involves no food usually after 8pm the night before the procedure and no water the morning of the appointment.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING AN INTERNAL MEDICINE CONSULTATION

Initial consultation appointment

1. Patients are first 'checked-in' by a technician or intern (temperature, pulse, respiration, and a brief history).
2. Doctors will then perform a full physical examination on each patient as well as obtain more detailed information on their history and any previous diagnostics and treatments.
3. Recommendations are made for both diagnostic procedures and therapeutic interventions.
4. An itemized written estimate is generated and discussed.

5. Appointments are scheduled for the morning and recommended procedures are usually performed that afternoon (exceptions often include anesthetic procedures such as endoscopy and CT scans – these may require overnight stays or other preparations). Patients would then be admitted as outpatients for procedures.

Discharge appointments

1. If diagnostic procedures only are performed, patients are often discharged the same day.
2. Doctors schedule a discharge time to meet with the owners and discuss any available results. This time is often later in the afternoon to allow time to complete all procedures.
3. Pending results are discussed when they become available with the owners via phone consultation.