POLICIES OF COMPANION VETERINARY HEALTH CENTER

CVHC Client Care Policy

Client satisfaction
We aim to achieve the highest level of client satisfaction as well as reduced patient fear and anxiety. For our clients to have absolute faith in our standard of work, patient care, and the professional manner in which we conduct business, we will: be friendly, courteous, and helpful when you contact us. We will ask you to be an integral part of your pet’s health care team and make every effort to explain things clearly, and in terms you can understand, keeping jargon to a minimum. We will listen to concerns and address your all your pet’s issues, respond to your phone calls, emails, texts, and letters in a timely manner keep your information confidential. We are committed to meeting all your expectations, but we can only achieve this if the information you give us is accurate and complete.

Improving our services
We are keen to improve our high level of customer service and welcome any comments that you have, either complimentary or critical.

We also have guest survey forms for you to fill out while here at the office and send every six months to your email after an appointment with us.

If an appointment is unsatisfactory or there is a communication breakdown, we would appreciate your feedback about what we can do to avoid the situation in the future.

What to do if you have a complaint
We have a good relationship with our clients, but sometimes things do go wrong. That is why there is a clear and effective complaints procedure in place.

In the first instance, contact the person you are working with and voice your concerns. If this is not possible or you wish to make a formal complaint, you may call, mail, or email our team. You may send an email to contact@companionvhc.com, call 860-779-6070, or send a letter through the mail to 729 Hartford Pike Dayville, CT 06241.

CVHC Admissions Policy

To allow ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures, we operate by appointment. Emergency cases shall always receive top priority, which is why occasional appointment delay is inevitable. Please realize that we make a sincere attempt to see each client on time.

For your convenience, ‘hospital admission’ appointments are available for established clients. A ‘hospital admission’ means you could bring your pet at a time that works best for you and our schedule and leave him/her with us for the day. Usually, we will ask you to bring in your pet sometime in the morning, so our doctors can examine the patient in between appointments or at the time purposely reserved for admitted patients. Once the doctor has examined your pet, a staff member will give you a call to go over their findings, recommendations, and follow-up instructions.

For the safety of all animals in our care, we require that all vaccinations be up-to-date. Even though we make every effort to make our patients feel comfortable during visits, they may be a little uneasy about new people, new surroundings, and other pets. We recommend that animals be placed on a leash or in pet carriers before entering the waiting room.

CVHC Appointment Policy

Our goal is to provide quality individualized medical care in a timely manner. No-shows and late arrivals inconvenience those individuals who need access to veterinary care. We would like to inform you of our policy regarding missed appointments.

Please note: A deposit may be required to book an appointment depending on appointment type (specialty, surgery, etc.).

A Missed appointment is when you fail to show up for an appointment without a phone call or cancel without at least 24-hour notice.
A veterinary/client relationship is built on mutual trust and respect. As such, strive to be on time for your scheduled appointments, and we ask that you give us the courtesy of a phone call when you are unable to keep your appointment. However, you are responsible for remembering your appointment regardless. Below, our missed appointment policy is outlined.

Late Arrival Policy
We make every effort to be on time for all of our appointments. Unfortunately, when even one patient arrives late, it can throw off the entire schedule for the day. In addition, rushing or “squeezing in” an appointment shortchanges the patients and contributes to decreased quality of care. Therefore, a client who arrives more than 5 minutes late for a wellness appointment will be asked to reschedule; clients who arrive more than 10 minutes late for sick/other or drop off when appropriate will be asked to reschedule.

Cancellation of an Appointment
To be respectful of the medical needs of other patients, please be courteous and call our office promptly if you are unable to show up for an appointment. This time will be reallocated to someone who is in need of treatment. If it is necessary to cancel your scheduled appointment, we require that you call at least 24 hours in advance. Appointments are in high demand, and your early cancellation will allow another patient access to timely veterinary care.

How to cancel your appointment
To cancel your appointment, please call 860-770-6070. If you do not reach the receptionist, you may leave a detailed message on our voicemail. If you would like to reschedule your appointment, please provide your name and phone number. We will return your call promptly.

Late cancellations
A cancellation is considered to be late when the appointment is canceled without 24 – hour advanced notice. Please see the charging policy below.

Appointment No-Show Policy
A ‘no-show” is a client that misses an appointment without canceling it. Failure to be present at the time of a scheduled appointment will be recorded in the patient’s chart as a “no-show.” The first time there is a “no-show” or late cancellation there will be no charge. After the first occurrence of a Late Cancellation or No-Show, the missed appointment will result in you being charged the cost of an office visit ($68.49).

Surgery Appointment “No-Show” Policy
A surgery “no-show” is a client who misses a surgery appointment without providing 24-hour notice of cancellation. This will result in a $100 charge to your account that is non-refundable.

Specialist “No-Show” Policy
This is when we have a specialist coming to our practice for your pet, but not limited to either a consultation/exam, ultrasound, echocardiogram, or surgery. There will be a non-refundable deposit fee, and it is based on the specialist’s fee schedule.