Our Referral Process

Maintaining strong relationships with our referring community is a priority for us. Always feel free to call us with any questions or concerns.

We understand that entrusting your patients to another veterinarian is an important decision, and are pleased that you wish to partner with us. We are here to enhance your own primary care services by assisting with emergency/urgent care cases on a 24-hour basis and by providing specialty care. Be assured that we are committed to working together to design a comprehensive treatment plan for your patients and that you will be kept updated on their progress at all times. We strive to be a valuable resource to both you and your clients.

We do not offer general practice services and make every effort to direct your client and patient back to you for follow-up care. If wish to discuss your patient’s case prior to referral, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Appointments and Referrals

Patient Transfers and Referrals

As a referring veterinarian, you can transfer your patients directly to us from your hospital, direct them here from home, or provide them with our contact information should they ever need after-hours care for any new or preexisting conditions. Should you require an estimate for your client prior to transfer, we can provide a verbal estimate but ask that you call us directly so our emergency veterinarian can obtain the medical details necessary to provide a more accurate estimate.

If you are referring a patient for an ongoing or acute medical condition, please call and speak with one of our doctors about the case prior to the patient’s arrival to ensure the best service for your client. We also ask that you share any pertinent records, labwork, or other results through our online portal.

Internal Medicine Service Changes
Our Internal Medicine service will no longer accept same-day emergency transfers. Patients who need to be evaluated urgently by the Internal Medicine service will be managed by our Emergency service and transferred to the internal medicine team the following day.

In order to avoid having clients arrive at VSH expecting the same-day transfer that is no longer available, we recommend that you call ahead to discuss the best options to admit that patient. Options may include:

• scheduling a consultation with the Internal Medicine service
• have the Emergency service stabilize and/or hospitalize the patient until the following day. If an Internal Medicine consult is considered advisable and the patient is stable, transfer to Internal Medicine can occur the following day (Mon-Sat)
• call to discuss the patient with our Internal Medicine service to receive assistance with patient care until the next available Internal Medicine consultation

There will be an Internal Medicine specialist receiving these phone calls Monday through Saturday. Emergency ultrasounds or emergency procedures will still be performed same day if medically warranted.

Patient Appointments

You or your client can schedule appointments directly with any service.

If you have a patient that requires immediate care from one of our specialty services and there is no same-day appointment available, they will be admitted through our emergency service. Our emergency team will initiate treatment and facilitate the transfer of the patient to the appropriate service for ongoing care.

Patient Records and Inpatient Care

• Our medical team will keep you informed of our mutual patient’s ongoing treatment plans and can also provide phone updates at your request.
• Medical records are available in real-time through our online portal.  Our team will also fax (if that is your preference) medical records to you daily.
• VSH – Sorrento Valley maintains an on-site supply of blood products, including whole blood, packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, albumin, and immunoglobulin.
• Our surgeons are on call 24 hours a day to provide advanced surgical support for our emergency service.

We hope to be a valuable resource to both you and your clients. We value and appreciate the trust you have placed in our team.