Our hospital doors are open 24/7. During the normal work week we have lots and lots of specialists that see appointments in addition to our emergency/critical care service. These specialties have fancy medications that they keep locked up in their rooms when they leave.
Every weekend some specialty client shows up or calls wanting a refill on some obsure medication that the specilaty technician has to order from a compounding pharmacy (takes about 1 week). People always seem to wait until they are completely out of medication and then proceed to give us grief because they can't get a refill on a moment's notice.
I'm sorry that you spent a billion dollars to have your dog's eyeball treated, and then allowed yourself to run out of the medication that is crucial to the integrity of said eyeball on a Saturday night. This is the ER, you didn't call before driving over here, I can do nothing for you - there are 7 clients with legitimate emergencies waiting to be seen by ER veterinarians. Please call your specialty tech on Monday. Ug.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Can it wait until Monday?
Our receptionists are really great at handling call but sometimes clients insist on talking to a tech or a veterinarian. This generally occurs when people really don't want to bring their pet in but rather get advice over the phone to treat their pet at home.
"Hi this is the ER tech. How can I help you?"
"Is this the animal hospital?"
"Yes it is, what can I do for you today?
"Well, I'm not sure. My dog is not acting right, I think he may be sick."
"Okay. You are welcome to bring your dog in to be seen through the emergency department. We don't see scheduled appointments so you can come on down anytime, we are open 24/7. Do you need our address?"
"Well...my dog was outside all day and now he is really anxious and pacing around the house. Last week he puked all over the house. But that only happened once - except for the day after that he puked again after he drank some water but that might have been because he drank too fast. Do dogs throw up like that after they drink too much water?"
"It's possible, yes. Has your dog been vomiting today?"
"Well...not really. He acts like he has to puke but no puke comes up. He won't lay down eaither, or eat anything."
"It certainly sounds like your dog may be sick. I recommend that you bring him on down so our ER veterinarian can have a look at him."
"Do you think it's serious?"
"Well sir that's really difficult to say for certain but the symptoms you are describing to me can be associated with serious illness. It's best to bring him in and have the doctor see him today."
"Really? Do you think it can wait 2 days until my vet is back in the office?"
"I'm not comfortable telling you it's okay to wait that long. The safest thing to do is to bring him in today."
"Is there a vet there that I can talk to right now?"
"I'm sorry the veterinarian is not available to talk on the phone. However, when you arrive we will be sure to have a look at your dog as soon as you walk in the door. It sounds like he may be pretty sick so he will be seen right away by the veterinarian."
"You work with animals - is there anything I can do for him at home? He really hates riding in the car. Plus he is so uncomfortable right now. I gave him his heartworm pill 3 days ago. Do you think that could be why he is not feeling well?"
"No sir - it sounds like your dog is sick and should be seen by a doctor. There is nothing you can do for him at home. I don't suggest you wait until Monday to see your regular vet. No one can tell you what is wrong with your dog without actually seeing him. What breed of dog do you have?"
"He's an Akita. He just turned 11 years old last month. I had him since he was a pup. I owned his sister too but she died a couple of years ago. Just walked in the house one day and found her dead on the kitchen floor. Why do dogs just up and die like that, do you think?"
"I'm not sure sir. And I am sorry but I can't really talk more right now. Our address is 111 Main Street. Will you be bringing in your dog soon?"
"I'll think about it. Can I leave my number for the vet there to call me later?"
"The doctor here is very busy and won't be able to tell you much else except that your dog should be seen. I strongly suggest that you bring in your dog as soon as possible. The symptoms you are describing are consistent with a condition called bloat. If your dog is bloated, it's an emergency - like life-threatening emergency. So it would be a good idea to bring him in right away because if bloat is not treated it will lead to death."
"Oh really? How is that?"
"We will talk all about it when you arrive. Right now you should be focused on getting your dog here. When you arrive the veterinarian will examine your dog."
"Okay - I'll have to call my son to help me get him in the car. That may take a while. How about I come in around 5pm?"
"Anytime sir. We don't see appointments. It's 1 o'clock now - I hate to have your dog wait until 5pm to be seen. Can you possibly get him here sooner?"
"Well, I can try but I don't know...I'll call you back when I know what time I can come in."
"No need to call sir - just come in as soon as possible."
Ug - when I think of all the things I could have accomplished in the time it took me to talk to this guy. Who, by the way, never did show up with his dog.
"Hi this is the ER tech. How can I help you?"
"Is this the animal hospital?"
"Yes it is, what can I do for you today?
"Well, I'm not sure. My dog is not acting right, I think he may be sick."
"Okay. You are welcome to bring your dog in to be seen through the emergency department. We don't see scheduled appointments so you can come on down anytime, we are open 24/7. Do you need our address?"
"Well...my dog was outside all day and now he is really anxious and pacing around the house. Last week he puked all over the house. But that only happened once - except for the day after that he puked again after he drank some water but that might have been because he drank too fast. Do dogs throw up like that after they drink too much water?"
"It's possible, yes. Has your dog been vomiting today?"
"Well...not really. He acts like he has to puke but no puke comes up. He won't lay down eaither, or eat anything."
"It certainly sounds like your dog may be sick. I recommend that you bring him on down so our ER veterinarian can have a look at him."
"Do you think it's serious?"
"Well sir that's really difficult to say for certain but the symptoms you are describing to me can be associated with serious illness. It's best to bring him in and have the doctor see him today."
"Really? Do you think it can wait 2 days until my vet is back in the office?"
"I'm not comfortable telling you it's okay to wait that long. The safest thing to do is to bring him in today."
"Is there a vet there that I can talk to right now?"
"I'm sorry the veterinarian is not available to talk on the phone. However, when you arrive we will be sure to have a look at your dog as soon as you walk in the door. It sounds like he may be pretty sick so he will be seen right away by the veterinarian."
"You work with animals - is there anything I can do for him at home? He really hates riding in the car. Plus he is so uncomfortable right now. I gave him his heartworm pill 3 days ago. Do you think that could be why he is not feeling well?"
"No sir - it sounds like your dog is sick and should be seen by a doctor. There is nothing you can do for him at home. I don't suggest you wait until Monday to see your regular vet. No one can tell you what is wrong with your dog without actually seeing him. What breed of dog do you have?"
"He's an Akita. He just turned 11 years old last month. I had him since he was a pup. I owned his sister too but she died a couple of years ago. Just walked in the house one day and found her dead on the kitchen floor. Why do dogs just up and die like that, do you think?"
"I'm not sure sir. And I am sorry but I can't really talk more right now. Our address is 111 Main Street. Will you be bringing in your dog soon?"
"I'll think about it. Can I leave my number for the vet there to call me later?"
"The doctor here is very busy and won't be able to tell you much else except that your dog should be seen. I strongly suggest that you bring in your dog as soon as possible. The symptoms you are describing are consistent with a condition called bloat. If your dog is bloated, it's an emergency - like life-threatening emergency. So it would be a good idea to bring him in right away because if bloat is not treated it will lead to death."
"Oh really? How is that?"
"We will talk all about it when you arrive. Right now you should be focused on getting your dog here. When you arrive the veterinarian will examine your dog."
"Okay - I'll have to call my son to help me get him in the car. That may take a while. How about I come in around 5pm?"
"Anytime sir. We don't see appointments. It's 1 o'clock now - I hate to have your dog wait until 5pm to be seen. Can you possibly get him here sooner?"
"Well, I can try but I don't know...I'll call you back when I know what time I can come in."
"No need to call sir - just come in as soon as possible."
Ug - when I think of all the things I could have accomplished in the time it took me to talk to this guy. Who, by the way, never did show up with his dog.
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