krissn333 Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 So, while I was with Pinky getting her chemo today, I spoke to the office manager about transferring all of my pets' care to their practice. This may be more difficult than I anticipated. When we were referred there by the "old" vet, we had to sign a referral agreement. I will have to re-examine it, but basically it states that the vet we were referred to will not try to get us to transfer care to their practice. They have not done anything like that at all, unless you count providing caring, compassionate and efficient service and support as coersion. IMO it's MY decision and if I have decided that I want to move, I should be able to. Look at it this way: as far as Pinky and Ace are concerned, a majority of their visits are going to be in regard to their cancer and associated treatment, there's no reason to go to another vet for basic care. Beyond that, all of my animals are over the age of 7, and are going to need more specialized care as they age. We'd be referred to the new place 80% of the time anyway. So the office manager was going to speak to the doctor we want to start seeing, since she treated a couple of my pets when she was in practice at the old place. She said she'd call me and let me know what she found out, but I haven't heard from her yet. Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 IMO it's MY decision and if I have decided that I want to move, I should be able to. This. I would be very surprised if that referral agreement stated that they will refuse to see you if you decide to transfer all regular care to their clinic. And if you insisted, would they really refuse care? Tell them you're planning to leave your previous vet anyway - why can't you decide to use their clinic vs. any other one in the area? Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Is it possible your referral vet has a do not compete contract she needs to abide by?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Hmm...non-compete contracts can be difficult to hold up in court even when they are between an employer/employee. Not sure how that would work when there's a 3rd party (ie. client) involved who should be free to make their own decisions. I'd be very curious to see what the referral agreement that the client signs looks like. Even if there's a non-compete contract, and they decide to stick to the rules, I wonder if you could get around that by seeing another local vet first, and then switch to their clinic. But it seems silly to have to do something like that. Clients are not 'owned' by the clinic and can't be controlled by them, other than a vet refusing to provide services for various reasons. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 (edited) you can switch and always go back!(just read page 2 after i posted this, but still consider some of the questions- and do contact the vet about his wacko receptionist and how poorly you have been treated) ask yourself some of the following ??? how good a diagnositician is your current vet? how many years experience does each vet- current and future practice have? will you be paying for the new high tech equiptment- be sent for each and every test in the book?(time will tell and you can then always go back to your old vet) when you have had a real emergency- how long did it take to see your vet answering service for emergencies at both vets- what it it waiting time to get an appointment/compare? will you get the same vet every time? i am in a similar delimmena, i LOVE my vet.THANK GOD HIS OLD RECEPTIONIST LEFT!! he takes the old fashioned route but is an excellent diagnostician and loves to keep your expenses down. his xray machine is out and sends you out for that. when it's something that he can't handle w/ his 40+years experience he reffers you to a high tech animal hospitals. since i'm not loaded and can't afford to pay off the fancy equiptment at some of the other hospitals and love his down to earth handling of situations(he sends the animal back home and has you return before office hours daily for check up and fluids)and doesn't use an answering service- he has calls forwarded to his cell phone. i'm sticking w/ my "country doctor" Edited January 8, 2012 by cleptogrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wmlcml6 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I just recently switched vets and I'm so happy about it. The bottom line is, if you want to switch vets, I don't think there is anything the other vet can do about it. We stopped going to the vet I was in love with when he refused to do an emergency c-section on Mama Grandy (because his wife said they were too busy). The more we thought about it, the care we had been getting had reduced to the point of being unsatisfactory but because he was convenient, affordable and did acupuncture vs. meds whenever possible, we put up with it. He has an antiquated (sp?) x-ray machine, nothing is computerized, and his receptionist is exactly like yours! She is very abrasive to clients. I worried for a year because I didn't have a vet I trusted anymore, but when Rosemary needed xrays last weekend on her foot, I went to a vet who works part time at the track. Jenn (Gijenn51) has used her for Trouble, and she and I agree that we are both very happy with her office, her equipment, and her intelligence. Even though it's 45 minutes away, that's where we will go from now on. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissn333 Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 We're currently in a holding pattern. Practice manager at the new place wants to talk to old vet before agreeing to take us, just so that no toes are stepped on. I understand, but, now my little guy needs to be seen (see my thread re: diabetes insipidus and cushings), and I can't get in anywhere. Hopefully they can get something figured out soon. Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Oh my. It's all very nice about the stepping on toes. But the practice manager needs to stop wanting to do it and just go ahead and do it. Right now! Harumph! Does the manager understand that this is a current medical problem that needs attention, and not just a "we're transferring to your practice now" visit you're proposing? (I hope you know that my harumph-ing is directed at the practice manager, not at you!) Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissn333 Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 It's finally over. I spoke to our current vet at length tonight about everything. He completely understands and is personally transferring our records to the new vet's office. I did get to tell him about the receptionist and how rude she's been, in addition to the fact that he has never received any of my messages to return my call dating back to late October. He apologized profusely for that, thanked me for my candor, and said he'd take care of it. So, we should be able to make appointments like normal people at the new place! *sigh* what an ordeal to go through! I'm so glad it's been handled though. Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'm glad that's resolved- now you can concentrate on the health of your hounds not the politics surrounding it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Good job, Kristen! You bypassed the foot-dragging manager, the power-mad receptionist, and went right to the guy you needed to inform. So glad it is worked out!!! Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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