Hospital Policies

Clients' Rights and Responsibilities

At Grace Animal Hospital, we are committed to practicing comprehensive and quality medicine, all based on our core values of thankfulness, accountability, respect, growth, education, and teamwork. We appreciate you entrusting us with the care of your pet. We understand that having a sick pet is often an emotional time. The best veterinary-client relationships are based on trust, communication, and mutual respect. We want what is best for your pet!

As a client, you can expect:

To receive appropriate treatment for your animal(s) as determined by our capabilities and our core values.
To be treated with consideration, respect, and compassion by all members of our staff.
To be informed of any illnesses your animal(s) may have, as well as treatment options available at the Hospital.
To be informed of the costs of evaluation, treatment, and payment options that are available.
To accept or reject treatments or diagnostic tests for your animal(s). You are not required to admit your animal to the Hospital or to allow any testing or treatment that you do not approve of, and you have the right to be informed of the consequences of the refusal of treatment or testing.
To change your mind regarding any treatments or tests you previously consented, to notify us of this change prior to treatments or tests being performed, and to be informed of the consequences of your decisions.
To receive prompt and courteous replies to any concerns you raise regarding the quality of care or service you and your animal(s) receive here.
To be assured that medical and personal information is handled in a confidential manner, and to request copies of medical record information regarding your animal(s).

As a client, what we ask in return is:

To provide all requested health information about your animal(s).
To read and understand any consent forms and estimates that you sign.
To accept the financial obligations agreed to when your animal is seen at our facility.
To arrive on time for each appointment OR call ahead if you are going to be late/absent.
To ask questions of our staff if you do not understand instructions or information they provide.
To observe the policies and procedures of our facility, including appointment times, cancellation policies, and payment policies.
To be considerate of clients whose animals are receiving care at Grace Animal Hospital.
To ensure you are not under the influence of alcohol or other substances during your time at Grace Animal Hospital and are able to provide consent and make decisions.
To inform us immediately if you change your mind about any tests to which you previously consented.
To be involved in your animal(s) condition from diagnosis to treatment; to follow the instructions you received for the care of your animal(s) at home.
To advise us if you have any concerns or are dissatisfied in any way.
To treat every member of our staff with respect and consideration.
To recognize the reality of risks and limits of the science of veterinary medicine.
To read and understand our Grace Animal Hospital Code of Conduct and be conscious of the consequences of disorderly conduct.

Grace Animal Hospital Code of Conduct

Grace Animal Hospital seeks to continually provide a welcoming and safe environment that ensures trust and respect for all people and pets. We will not accept the following behaviors:

Verbal abuse, malicious or harmful statements about others, profanity or disrespect
Any form of harassment
Discriminatory comments or actions
Intimidation tactics and/or making threats
Allowing your pet to intimidate or threaten a person or another pet
Public disclosure of another’s private information
Being under the influence of alcohol or behavior-altering drugs
Failure to comply with requests of our staff, including leashing/restraining your pet

In the event that your behavior is problematic, we reserve the right to discontinue services immediately. This policy is strictly enforced and non-compliance will result in corrective measures being taken, which may include being asked to leave the property and the possible involvement of law enforcement. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!

Payment Options

Payment is due at the time services are rendered. If you have any special considerations regarding payment, please discuss this with the receptionist prior to seeing the doctor. We accept a variety of payment options, including cash, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, and CareCredit.

CareCredit

CareCredit is a personal line of credit for healthcare, both human and veterinary, that works like a credit card. To apply, click here for the CareCredit Online Credit Application or call their 24/7 phone number at 1-800-365-8295.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance pays, partly or in total, for veterinary treatment of the insured person’s ill or injured pet. Some policies will pay out when the pet dies, or if it is lost or stolen.

As veterinary medicine is increasingly employing expensive medical techniques and drugs, and owners have higher expectations for their pet’s health care and standard of living than previously, the market for pet insurance has increased.

Pet insurance companies are beginning to offer the pet owner more of an ability to customize their coverage by allowing them to choose their own level of deductible or co-insurance. This allows the pet owner to control their monthly premium and choose the level of coverage that suits them the best.

Some of the differences in insurance coverage are:

Whether congenital and hereditary conditions (like hip dysplasia, heart defects, eye cataracts or diabetes) are covered;
How the reimbursement is calculated (based on the actual vet bill, a benefit schedule or usual and customary rates);
Whether the deductible is on a per-incident or an annual basis;
Whether there are any limits or caps applied (per incident, per year, age or over the pet’s lifetime); and
Whether there is an annual contract that determines anything diagnosed in the previous year of coverage is considered pre-existing the next year.

Source: Pet Insurance

For pet insurance information and comparison. https://www.consumersadvocate.org/pet-insurance.