We believe the best care happens when our staff, doctors, clients, and patients all work together as a team. That means all of us committing to a cooperative, respectful relationship built on integrity, where success depends on clear boundaries, mutual trust and respect, and shared responsibility.
As part of that team, all parties agree to the expectations below.
Mutual Respect, Compassion, Integrity, and Trust
AVC commits to:
- Providing up-to-date, evidence-based care while striving to increase our knowledge and capabilities.
- Earning trust by acting with integrity, professionalism, respect, and compassion in every interaction.
- Respecting your trust and financial resources by clearly communicating recommendations, costs, and limitations, as well as controling costs where possible.
- Respecting your time by doing our best to stay on schedule, provide convenience where reasonable, and implement policy with the goal of sharing our time fairly and efficiently with all our clients and patients.
- Listening open-mindedly and responsively to client concerns when they arise.
Clients agree to:
- Understand that we are committed to the best interests of all our patients, staff, and clients, and this informs all our decisions and practices.
- Value the knowledge, training, and experience of our Doctors and staff that informs our recommendations and practices.
- Treat our Doctors, staff, and other clients with respect and compassion in all interactions and communications.
- Respect the time of our staff, doctors, and other clients and patients by being on time for scheduled appointments and providing advance notice for cancellations.
- Recognize the role that mutual trust plays in medical care, and work with us to build that trust.
Patient expectations:
Even though the majority do so without issue, we cannot reasonably expect our patients to understand or accept all the things that may need to happen in order to provide medical care. This means safe and positive patient interactions are ultimately a shared responsibility between clients and AVC staff.
- AVC doctors and staff will handle patients with care and compassion at all times.
- The safety of our staff, patients, and clients is of the utmost importance and is non-negotiable.
- AVC Doctors and staff are highly trained and experienced in handling patients and have final authority over what is or is not safe. At their discretion they may require specific handling techniques, restraints, sedatives, other interventions, or discontinue further care entirely for the safety of all involved.
- Clients are likewise responsible for making reasonable efforts to reduce patient anxiety and improve their comfort and behavior during visits, which may include active socialization, desensitization, and pursuing outside training.
Clear or consistent disregard for any of the principles above make working as a team impossible, and we reserve the right to discontinue our relationship and further treatment should that be the case. Abusive, threatening, or disruptive behavior toward staff, other clients, or patients indicates a clear disregard for our team principles and will not be tolerated. Refusal to comply with recommended safety measures will prevent the provision of further care.
Access Veterinary Care