ASEC POLICIES

MEDICAL RECORDS
We believe that good communication is the foundation of a referral practice. Your veterinarian will receive a report of your pet’s care after every visit. You will also receive a report of each visit. California law requires us to keep all original records on file here, since they are hospital property.

FEES
Our goal is to provide the best quality of care and service for your pet. Our fees are typical of specialty hospitals providing advanced medical care. An estimate of costs will be given to you before diagnostic work, treatment, or surgery is performed, and a deposit will be collected at that time. The balance is due when your pet is discharged from the hospital.

Payment can be made by cash, approved checks, and major credit cards. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide credit. Clients requiring credit should obtain this through their bank or credit union. The CareCredit medical credit company can provide credit in some cases; so, please call and our front desk staff can provide details.

PHONE CALLS
Clients are encouraged to call at any time to get updates on their pet’s condition. If a doctor is unavailable to speak with the client at that time, the client is welcome to leave a message or get a clinical update from a technician. The doctor or doctor’s assistant will give all medical updates.

REFERRAL CASES
Our goal is to serve our referring veterinarians by supporting and extending the care that can be provided to your pet. Your general practice veterinarian is very competent in the medical and surgical care of your pet. However, when a difficult case requires advanced surgical training, specialized instruments and techniques, or advanced intensive care and life support capabilities, your veterinarian may refer your pet for specialized treatment.We try to make this process as easy and convenient as possible for the client and the referring veterinarian.

We accept referral cases at any time, day or night, seven days a week. ICU doctors are present 24 hours a day; one or more of the surgeons are always present or on call.

As a referral hospital, we are ethically bound to treat only the condition for which your pet was referred. We do not perform general practice services such as vaccinations, or skin and ear treatments, or dental prophylaxis. This general care should be done by your regular veterinarian.Your veterinarian will receive a written report after every visit, so that your pet’s records will be kept complete

TEAM APPROACH
To maximize the level of care and efficiency of service, your pet will typically be examined, treated and discussed in rounds by a team of veterinarians at the Animal Surgical & Emergency Center. By using this team-oriented approach, your pet will benefit by having the attention and evaluation of multiple specialists, and communication between clients and the veterinarians is enhanced.

VISITING
We encourage clients to visit their hospitalized pets during our scheduled visiting hours. Please call first, to schedule a visiting time.

We encourage visiting with your hospitalized pet. However, please understand that we have many other pets in the hospital who are also being visited, and every hospitalized pet (including yours) is receiving numerous medical treatments at certain times of the day and evening. In order that visiting not interfere with the care of your pet, and other pets in the ICU, here is our policy:

• Please limit your visits to once a day per patient. All family members intending to visit should do so at the same time.
• Afternoon visits are limited to 30 minutes maximum; for evening visits, 10 minutes maximum. Less time will be permitted for critical patients. In
  addition, depending on the ICU caseload and number of clients visiting, we may on occasion require that all visits be 10 minutes or less
• Visitors must call in advance, so that, depending on ICU caseload, we can determine the best time for you to visit.
• To avoid the spread of contagious diseases, visiting of isolation patients is not permitted.
• To allow your pet an undisturbed recovery from anesthesia, visiting of surgical patients during the afternoon & evening following surgery is not permitted. You may visit the following day.
• To avoid delays in patient care, visits must end at the scheduled time