Existing Client Form

APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING POLICY

Thank you for giving West Hills Animal Hospital the opportunity to care for your pet(s). Based on the information you give us when scheduling your appointment, we try to set aside enough time to provide you with the highest quality care. Should you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, kindly contact our office as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time. This gives us enough time to schedule other patients who may be waiting for an appointment.

Our Appointment Cancellation Policy is below:

New Clients

• New clients are required to place a one-time deposit of $62.50 to schedule their first appointment. This deposit is refundable only if the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 24 hours before the appointment time. The deposit will not be refunded if the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours of the appointment time.

Existing Clients

• Established clients who fail to keep an appointment without giving 24 hours notice will be charged a $35 fee and may be required to make a non-refundable deposit of the office exam when rescheduling. Repeated “no shows” will result in the client being dismissed from the practice.
  

Surgical and Dental Procedures

• A 10% deposit based on the procedure’s estimate (or $62.50, whichever is greater) shall be required to schedule surgical/dental procedures. This deposit is refundable only if the appointment is cancelled at least 48 hours before the appointment time. The deposit WILL NOT be refunded if the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled within 48 hours of the appointment time.
  

As a courtesy, we send reminder emails for appointments. If no email is on file, we call if time allows. If you do not receive a reminder, the above policy will remain in effect.

We understand there may be times when an unforeseen emergency arises, and you may not be able to give appropriate cancellation notice. Our Practice Manager may waive the Late Cancellation fee under these circumstances. You can contact West Hills Animal Hospital 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week at (865) 357-1270. Outside of normal business hours, you may leave a message on our voicemail. Messages left are an acceptable method of cancellation.

YOUR PET’S PRESCRIPTIONS

Our in-house pharmacy is an integral part of our hospital, and the income derived from it helps carry part of the practice overhead. We rely on pharmacy income to pay salaries, utilities, taxes, insurance, and other expenses related to operating the practice. EVERY time a medication is requested, your pet’s medical record is reviewed by a veterinarian prior to approval; thus, ensuring that state and federal laws governing dispensing medications are followed, that the proper medication is given at the proper dosage, and that your pet’s healthcare needs are being met to the highest standard.

We understand, however, that the convenience and pricing of other pharmacies may be better suited for some of our clients. To that point we provide the following options for obtaining prescription medication for your pets.

1. Our In-house Pharmacy: We strive to provide competitive pricing, rebate information, and a quick turnaround.
2. VetSource and Chewy: Both online pharmacies provide us with a small compensation for our time and efforts and we can initiate the request while you are in the office. Chewy and VetSource integrate with our practice software and allow for streamlining and transparency in requesting, checking the status of, and refilling prescriptions through a trusted source. They are also sources for medications that we do not carry on-site, such as compounded medications, and food items.
3. Written prescriptions: ALL written prescriptions, prescriptions called into or faxed to a pharmacy, and ALL controlled drug prescriptions will incur a $15.50 charge. This charge is not a penalty, but rather covers the cost of overhead inherent in processing these requests. We will strive to maximize refills to lower your costs and minimize the need for us to review the request.

If you have any questions regarding the above policy, please do not hesitate to ask. We understand this is different from human medicine and we truly want you to be properly informed so that you can decide on the best way to obtain your pet’s medications. As always, we appreciate you allowing us to be a part of your pet's health care team.