Hospital Policies

Appointment Confirmation, Delayed Appointment, and Cancellation Policies

At Avenue Animal Hospital, we are dedicated to providing exceptional care for your beloved pets. To enhance our service quality and maintain a streamlined schedule allowing for prompt medical attention to our patients, we have implemented the following policies effective January 1, 2024.

Confirmation Process

1. Initial Confirmation: Upon scheduling an appointment with Avenue, you should receive a text and/or email confirming the time and date of your pet(s) appointment. This is to allow you to add it to your calendar, if not already done so.
2. Reminder Notifications
   • 4 Days Prior: You will receive an email 4 days prior to the schedule appointment to confirm
   • 2 Days Prior: If the appointment is not confirmed via email, you will receive a text/phone call 2 days prior to the scheduled appointment.
3. Final Reminder
   • If the appointment remains unconfirmed, we will send one last reminder, via text, the business morning before your appointment date. If the appointment remains unconfirmed or is not cancelled prior to 3 pm the day prior to the scheduled appointment, the appointment will then be cancelled, and the allotted time will be offered and given to the next patient on our waiting list.
   • For Monday appointments, if the appointment remains unconfirmed or is not cancelled prior to 12 pm on the Saturday prior, the appointment will then be cancelled, and the allotted time will be offered and given to the next patient on our waiting list.
4. Cancellation Details
   • You will receive a text informing you that your appointment has been cancelled and needs to be rescheduled for a different time.
   • At the point of scheduling the next appointment, we will require a processed deposit of $83.50 (Exam and OSHA fee) that will be placed on your account as a credit. If rescheduling a surgical appointment, the processed deposit will be $150.00. This deposit/credit will go towards the cost of services and/or medications for that rescheduled upcoming visit. If a client incurs 2 cancelled appointments, due to being unconfirmed, the deposit will then be forfeited and no longer be a credit on the account.

Appointment Confirmation Policy

When you schedule an appointment, an email, text, or app reminder will be delivered to you to confirm your scheduled appointment. We ask that you confirm or cancel the appointment either by text, email, or call us within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment time as this will keep your spot reserved. Confirmation is a requirement to retain your scheduled appointment spot. If you do not confirm your appointment, the appointment slot will be given to the next person on the waitlist, and you will have to reschedule for a different date. If you are calling after hours, please leave a detailed message with your information, your pet’s information, and the date and time of the appointment that you are confirming or canceling.

Late Policy/Procedure

At 5 minutes past your confirmed scheduled appointment time, we will send a courtesy text or phone call, informing you that you are late and seeing if you are on your way to the hospital.

At 10 minutes past your confirmed scheduled appointment time, we will send a final text or phone call, informing you that you are 10 minutes late and the appointment is now considered a No Show. Please refer to the No Call No Show policy below.

No Show Policy

In the event of a missed confirmed appointment or tardiness exceeding 10 minutes for non-surgical appointments, a non-refundable Exam Fee will be incurred and applied to your account. This includes all technician-based appointments. Prior to scheduling another appointment, this fee must be settled.

If you do not show up for your confirmed surgical scheduled appointment, there will be a $150.00 non-refundable fee on your account that will need to be paid before scheduling another appointment.

Appointments and Surgeries

We strive to keep to our schedule as best as we can, while allowing for ample time and attention that is needed for each pet. Therefore, we expect our clients to arrive for their scheduled appointment on time.

Out of respect for all parties involved, we request that if something unexpected happens and you are running behind, please call the clinic and let us know. Depending on our existing schedule, your doctor will determine if we will still be able to see your pet if we need to reschedule the appointment. This will all depend on how late you may arrive for the appointment.

Payment Policy

All payments are due at the time of services. Please make sure to discuss any type of financial concerns PRIOR to services and treatments.

We accept all major credit/debit cards, checks, and/or cash.

We also offer Care Credit and Scratch Pay financing to help make the highest quality care accessible to all our patients.

All of the above topics are Client account related and not patient-specific

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in adhering to these policies. These measures are in place to streamline our scheduling process, maximize our availability, and ensure that every pet receives the care they deserve.

Your proactive involvement is instrumental in helping us serve you and your furry companions more effectively. If you have any queries or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for entrusting Avenue Animal Hospital with the care of your pets