Hospital Policies

• Emergency Appointments - Emergency cases are unpredictable events. Patients with life-threatening medical conditions will receive top priority, followed by patients with previously scheduled appointments. For this reason, the occasional appointment delay is inevitable. Please realize that we make a sincere attempt to see each patient on time. If there is a wait when you visit our hospital, we want to thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
• Check-in By Phone - Regardless of what type of appointment you prefer or the reason for your visit, please call upon arrival in our parking lot and our team will assist you accordingly. Handling appointment check-in and intake by phone enables us to better utilize our space and increase our on-time appointment rate. We have also found that most pets are less stressed when waiting outside or in vehicles than in the lobby with other patients coming and going.
• Curbside or In-Room Appointments - Clients are welcome to accompany their pets inside for doctor appointments and rehab appointments. For those of you who have enjoyed the concierge service of curbside appointments, that remains an option at MCAH. Curbside service continues for technician appointments, surgery admission, and grooming appointments
• Cancellation Policy - If you are unable to make an appointment, please call us to reschedule at least 2 hours in advance of your appointment. A missed appointment fee will be incurred for any appointments that are missed or canceled with less than a 2-hour notice. Grooming appointments require 24-hour notice for cancellation.

We make every effort to make our patients feel comfortable during visits, but still they may be a little uneasy about new people, new surroundings and new encounters with other pets. For these reasons, and for the safety of your pet, it is important that your pet be properly restrained both inside and outside of our hospital. For the protection of you, your pet, and others, we ask that:

• All cats be presented in an appropriate cat carrier or on a leash. Cat and small dog carriers are available to borrow at no cost. Cats in laps are cozy and comfy at home, but risky in the clinic. You never know when a big dog will come through the lobby, mad at her owner that it’s time for a toenail trim and ready to blame the first cat she sees.
• All dogs must be on a leash and properly controlled while in the parking area, the lobby, and the exam room. Retractable leashes hamper our ability to keep your pet safe and in control. Retractable leashes can be hazardous, especially in the clinical setting for many reasons: extra-long leashes in a confined space can be dangerous; the thin cord used in many retractable leashes can cause severe injury to humans and pets; and the unpredictable leash length can be counterproductive to training efforts.

Upon arrival, please take one of our purple slip leads to use while in the hospital. If you must use a retractable leash please keep it short and locked to keep your pet safe.

• Our doctors are required by law to establish and maintain a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) before prescribing any prescription products, including food and preventatives. A pet must be examined and evaluated by a doctor within the last 12 months to maintain a valid VCPR. This requirement applies to all veterinarians and all species of animals. By establishing a relationship with us, we are partnering with you to ensure your pet's best health and welfare.
• Therefore, our doctors may only sell or prescribe prescription products if your pet has been examined and evaluated by one of our doctors within the previous 12 months. If it has been more than 12 months since your pet was last examined by a doctor at our hospital please call to schedule an appointment. Please note that some dietary products and most preventatives are prescription products.
• Please call us for a refill or appointment before your pet’s medication runs low. Please do not wait until the last minute to call for your refill, as we may not be able to accommodate your request as quickly as your pet needs. Please allow at least 24 hours for all refill requests. Some prescriptions are compounded medications that require additional time for delivery to your home.

It is our goal to serve you in every way possible, including making your financial experience clear, understandable and easy to navigate. We are committed to excellence in care and service for every patient, every client, every visit. In order to support this high standard of care, we offer a broad spectrum of services, expertise, equipment and procedures to give your pet the best possible care. We want you to understand each step of your pet’s care, both the services you receive and the associated costs. We encourage you to discuss fees with our staff before services are rendered. We always strive to provide you with the recommendations that our professional staff believes best serve your pet’s health, your needs and comfort level. We do understand that sometimes financial restrictions apply and must be taken into consideration when making treatment decisions. In these cases, we will attempt to provide alternative treatment plans whenever possible. We have no desire to extend a client beyond his/her financial means or comfort level. We may not be able to provide a treatment plan and estimate for patients with issues diagnosed elsewhere until we examine the patient and review any supporting lab work or radiographs ourselves.

• Payment in full is due at the time of service. We do not offer any in-house financing. MCAH accepts cash, personal checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. All personal checks require a valid driver’s license. A $30 fee is charged for any returned checks.
• Health Care financing allow you to begin treatment immediately and pay over time. Pre-approval for health care financing programs enables pet owners to deal with emergency situations should they arise. While emergency situations are not planned, pet owners can plan ahead to be prepared.
  • Care Credit is accepted by many veterinary and human healthcare providers. Depending on your pre-approved credit limit, cards can be used repeatedly without reapplying. Care Credit offers No Interest for 6 months. To Apply or for More Information visit https://www.carecredit.com/apply/
  • Scratchpay offers payment plans to finance services at a variety of medical providers including veterinary offices. Scratchpay offers financing options ranging from $35 - $10,000, with payment schedules ranging from every 2 weeks to monthly plans. Importantly for many clients, checking to see if you qualify for Scratchpay does not affect your credit score. Visit Sratchpay.com or Click here for more info or to apply for Scratchpay.
• Mount Carmel Animal Hospital offers a Senior Discount on most services for clients aged 65 and over. Please speak with an MCAH team member for details.
• A deposit may be required for some procedures including specialty surgeries.
• Default on payments due, including checks returned for insufficient funds, are subject to legal action as allowed by law. Finance charges accrue 15% monthly (18% annual rate). Collection fees, bookkeeping fees, and billing charges may also be incurred.