top of page
Cat Close Up

Clinic Policies

We are all living and working in challenging times. Let's support each other with compassion, kindness, patience, and recognition that each person is doing their best.

Prescriptions 

Prescriptions can be filled at our in-house pharmacy, electronically approved through our online partner pharmacy Covetrus or provided via hard copy to be filled at any outside pharmacy (upon client request).

​

Unlike physicians, veterinarians do not have the ability to send prescriptions via an electronic prescribing platform to any pharmacy they choose. Therefore, we cannot send a prescription to an outside pharmacy for you. However, you can take your hard-copy prescription to any pharmacy you choose as long as the medication is carried by that pharmacy. 

​

Long term maintenance medication or preventive medication are often written for an entire year's worth of medication or for a partial year with refills. The pharmacy you take the prescription to is legally obligated to keep your prescription on file until expiration or until all refills are used.  If you decide you want to order from a different pharmacy before all medication from a prescription has been dispensed from the prescription on file at a pharmacy, you will have to contact that pharmacy and request a transfer to your newly-selected pharmacy. A new prescription from our doctor will not be issued.​

Veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR)

​The veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) is the basis for interaction among veterinarians, their clients, and their patients and is critical to the health of animals. An annual exam is needed to fulfill this legally-defined relationship and is required for all prescriptions and medical advice. It is illegal and unethical to prescribe a pet medication if the pet has not been examined within the past 12 months or to prescribe more than one-year's worth of medication at a given time. Additionally, as described in AVMA's Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics, the veterinarian is obligated to make a general or preliminary diagnosis before prescribing a medication.

Appointment Scheduling

All pet visits are appointment based to ensure adequate time for each individual patient and client. 

 

Certain situations may arise where we determine that we are unable to deliver the level of care needed to ensure a successful outcome or are unable to deliver care in an appropriate timeframe. In these instances, we will refer to the appropriate tertiary care facility. 

Medical Decision Making

The person who presents with the pet to an appointment must have authorization to make medical/financial decisions about the pet's care. If the person presenting with the pet does not have their name listed on the patient file, they must come with written authorization that they can make medical decisions on the owner's behalf. 

Nail Trims

Positioning and handling for nail trimming is similar to what we do to draw blood, place catheters, and perform other medical procedures. Negative handling associations developed due to nail trimming at the clinic makes it difficult to deliver actual veterinary medical care to our patients. Because of this, we have phased out non-medical nail trims. Nail trims are best performed in the patient's home or by a grooming professional.


We define medically-necessary nail trims as those in which long nails are negatively affecting a patient’s gait. We will continue to perform sedated nail trims, requiring full sedation with injectable medication.

Communication

Contacting our doctor for consultations on social media, personal phone, e-mail, or via other means may result in invoicing for services rendered or result in termination of further veterinary service. Please only contact our doctor for consultation by calling our office during normal operating hours.

 

Email in our clinic is intended to facilitate one-way communications of diagnostic-results and of information that was not able to be delivered during a recent pet examination. It is not an appropriate or legal medium for medical consultations, examination follow-up, or telemedicine. Email received is not monitored regularly, and response is sporadic and uncommon. If doctor consultation is needed to respond to received email, it could result in invoicing for an E-visit. Please contact our office by phone for any medical questions or concerns.

Payment 

Payment is required at time of service unless other arrangements have been made in advance. We accept Cash, Check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

Behavior

Aggressive behavior (from pets or owners), physical or verbal harassment, foul language, threats, and emotional blackmail will result in termination of services.

© 2023 by Galesburg Veterinary Clinic. Proudly created with Wix.com

  • Facebook Social Icon
bottom of page