At Ilderton Pet Hospital, we are committed to providing high-quality, individualized veterinary care and maintaining a supportive and compassionate environment for our clients, staff, and patients. To ensure a positive and comfortable experience for everyone involved, we have established the following Veterinary-Client-Patient-Partnership Policy. By engaging our services, both parties, clients and staff, can expect one another to comply with the following guidelines:
What You Can Expect From Your Ilderton Pet Hospital Experience:
- Respectful Communication – Every member of our team is committed to treating you and your pet with kindness, compassion, respect, patience, and professionalism.
- Timeliness – We understand that emergencies and extenuating circumstances occur, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. With respect to your time, we will notify you of any delays that may occur in preventing your appointment to begin on time.
- Animal Handling and Safety – As a team certified in Fear Free handling techniques, our goal is to ensure your pet’s visit with us is as comfortable as possible. We will do our best to help alleviate any fear, anxiety, or stress your pet may experience when they come to our clinic.
- Delivery of Care – Effective communication and collaboration between veterinarians and pet owners is integral to the Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR). This ensures that the care given is personalized to the pet’s needs and in line with the owner’s values. To uphold this principle, we take care to prioritize clear communication, discussing proposed treatment options, potential risks, and expected outcomes, and addressing any questions or concerns you may have.
- Payment and Financial Responsibility – We will provide estimates for the costs of diagnostic and treatment plans and ask that you inform us of any financial concerns you may have. We will work with you to find suitable solutions whenever possible to ensure we are active partners in your pet’s care plan.
- Client Feedback – We appreciate any feedback our clients bring to us and will take the necessary steps to thoughtfully address any concerns in a timely manner.
What We Expect From Our Clients:
- Respectful Communication – A successful partnership requires mutual respect and understanding. We ask that you reciprocate the courtesy, kindness, respect and consideration that we offer to you. Inappropriate, disrespectful or abusive conduct towards our care team will not be tolerated.
- Timeliness – We ask that you arrive at scheduled appointments on time and notify us as soon as possible if you are running late or need to reschedule. Please note that Patients’ needs are unpredictable and can lead to unexpected delays in our scheduling. We kindly ask that you show patience if unexpected delays in your appointment’s start time occur or inform us if rescheduling is needed.
- Animal Handling and Safety – We respectfully request that you keep your beloved pets safe and secure during your visit to our clinic. For their protection and the well-being of others, please use leashes, carriers, or any calming measures as suggested by our caring staff.
- Delivery of Care – As a valued participant in your pet’s well-being, we encourage clients to feel empowered to ask about their pet’s health and discuss any recommended medical decisions. We also request that clients follow agreed-upon treatment plans and seek assistance whenever necessary. Your involvement is crucial in ensuring the best care for your beloved companion.
- Payment and Financial Responsibility – We request that our clients meet agreed-upon financial responsibilities concerning veterinary services, medications, food, and other products upon their completion of the services and goods.
- Client Feedback – We request clients come forward with constructive feedback, suggestions, or concerns regarding our services and their pet’s care.
Despite efforts from both parties, there may be occasions when things don’t go as planned and guidelines are not fully adhered to. As collaborative partners in your pet’s well-being, let us grant each other understanding and patience to address and grow from any challenges that may arise. If challenges cannot be overcome, we kindly ask our clients to understand that, for the safety and well-being of our staff and fellow clients, we may need to make the difficult decision to discontinue our services and end our client-patient relationship.
Thank you for choosing Ilderton Pet Hospital for your veterinary care needs. We appreciate your partnership in maintaining a positive and respectful environment for everyone involved and look forward to developing a meaningful and professional relationship with you and your pet(s).
To learn more about how a Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship is established, maintained, and discontinued, please refer to the following guide provided by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario: Guide to Professional Practice Standard – VCPR.
