VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center

I am rejecting this response because: [redacted] was brought here to have the spots on her eye and stomach checked out so they could be removed at the same time as mass tumor removalVCA failed to do those tests and charged me for other testingI was not able to go over this with the doctor and was not notified about them not testing the spots until that eveningI waiting for a phone call I never received when I was informed one would comeI had to make several calls in just to find the status of testing that was never done in the first place I am sick to my stomach that this is the kind of medical care they give outIf I listened to them [redacted] would be on dying instead of healthy at homeVca you need to listen to your clients complaints not just do your own thingI will give till January for this matter to be resolved before I hand this matter over to my legal team and have my media coverage pushedThank you

Mr*** brought *** into our hospital, VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center, to seek the advice of an oncologistHe was scheduled with Dr*** ***, boarded medical oncologist, on 10/26/At that time, Mr*** expressed his concern for ***’s recent lethargy and that it was
caused by her cancer progressingDr*** presented him with a treatment plan that included an oncology consultation, blood panel, radiographs and ultrasound, to which he consentedThese diagnostics would help reveal if *** had metastatic processDr*** also had Dr*** ***, a boarded surgeon, provide an estimate for a mass removalIn addition, Dr*** performed in house cytologies at no chargeWhen Mr*** came to pick *** up, he asked to speak with Dr***She was with another client at that time and was told that she could speak with him in about twenty minutes if he wanted to waitHe said that he wanted to take *** home and would like for Dr*** to call himWhen she did not return his call by 6:PM (he had left our hospital after 5:PM), he called the hospital asking to speak with herWhen he was told that she was unavailable, he became upset and abusive with the CSRDr*** returned his call at 6:PM and he did not answer, so she left a message on his machineShe called again at 8:PM and he answeredHe was abusive with Dr*** at that time, stating that he did not trust our facility since she did not call him twenty minutes after he leftWhen she tried to communicate her findings and recommendations, he started screaming at her and told her to “go screw herself”, threatened to sue and report us to the Revdex.com, then hung upThe next day, he called and left a message for me, the hospital managerHe was again abusive with the CSR and kept her on the phone for an extended length of timeI returned his call and he did not answer the phoneI left him a message with my hours in the hospitalHe returned my call at 7:45 that night, over two hours after I told him that I would be goneWhen the CSR told him that I was not in the hospital, he said that not to bother to leave a message since his story would be on the news the next dayWe provided services to him with his authorization and the invoice did not exceed his signed estimateWe are very sorry that *** is not doing well but we feel that we have done everything that we can to resolve Mr***'s concerns

Our clients that have a balance due receive monthly statements to the address on file that are automatically generated and mailedIn addition to these monthly statements, we attempted to call him and mailed him a certified final letter making him aware that we would have to move forward with
collections if he did not respond within a certain time frameThe letter was returned as he had moved but no forwarding address was made availableWe received no further communication from him at this point, so we moved forward with collectionsOur collection agency also called him several times They attempt to contact the client multiple times throughout a day period before actually making a report to the credit bureausWhen he saw that the collection agency was reflected on his credit report, he contacted the hospitalWhen he called, he spoke to our financial coordinator, ***She listened to his concerns and let him know that she would need to speak to the hospital manager who had left for the dayShe reviewed with him the attempts to contact him and he let her know that he had moved shortly after his visit to our hospitalHe verified that the phone number that we have on file is correctShe let him know that she would call him back the next day once she had more informationHe called back multiple times between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morningHe stated that he did, indeed, come in twice to our hospital but had been told that he would not be charged a recheck feeHe was not charged a recheck fee but he was charged for bloodwork that was doneHe said that he understood and did not disagree with the charges, but wanted to pay our hospital directly and not pay collections*** explained that he would need to pay off the amount due plus fees and then the credit bureaus would be notifiedHe agreed to pay the additional feesShe also told him that he could contact the credit bureaus himself with proof that he paid in full to see if it could be removed earlierShe told him that it would be more cost effective to pay the collections agency directlyOur financial coordinator called our collections agency to find out the process for having him removed from collections, what the fees were and if there was a way to expedite having his credit report updatedThey told her the process and let her know that there is not a way to have his credit report updated any fasterShe called the client to share the information and he let her know that he had already paid the collection agency and “it was all good”

Our clients that have a balance due receive monthly statements to the address on file that are automatically generated and mailedIn addition to these monthly statements, we attempted to call him and mailed him a certified final letter making him aware that we would have to move forward with collections if he did not respond within a certain time frameThe letter was returned as he had moved but no forwarding address was made availableWe received no further communication from him at this point, so we moved forward with collectionsOur collection agency also called him several times They attempt to contact the client multiple times throughout a day period before actually making a report to the credit bureausWhen he saw that the collection agency was reflected on his credit report, he contacted the hospitalWhen he called, he spoke to our financial coordinator, ***She listened to his concerns and let him know that she would need to speak to the hospital manager who had left for the dayShe reviewed with him the attempts to contact him and he let her know that he had moved shortly after his visit to our hospitalHe verified that the phone number that we have on file is correctShe let him know that she would call him back the next day once she had more informationHe called back multiple times between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morningHe stated that he did, indeed, come in twice to our hospital but had been told that he would not be charged a recheck feeHe was not charged a recheck fee but he was charged for bloodwork that was doneHe said that he understood and did not disagree with the charges, but wanted to pay our hospital directly and not pay collections*** explained that he would need to pay off the amount due plus fees and then the credit bureaus would be notifiedHe agreed to pay the additional feesShe also told him that he could contact the credit bureaus himself with proof that he paid in full to see if it could be removed earlierShe told him that it would be more cost effective to pay the collections agency directlyOur financial coordinator called our collections agency to find out the process for having him removed from collections, what the fees were and if there was a way to expedite having his credit report updatedThey told her the process and let her know that there is not a way to have his credit report updated any fasterShe called the client to share the information and he let her know that he had already paid the collection agency and “it was all good”

We stand by the In House Surgery Consult as Dr*** did perform the consultWhen a client or doctor requests a consult, they are asking for the doctor’s opinion on a problem with the patientThere is more to a consultation than the time spent speaking with the clientBefore the specialist speaks with the client, they review medical records from the referring vet as well as diagnostics that have already been performedThey also perform their own exam of the patientThis allows them to know the history of the patient and the medical concern(s) before going into the consultation and, in the case of an in house consult, know their plan for the patient When Dr*** reviewed the CT , he determined that Blue did not need surgeryThis does not negate the time and care that he provided to both Blue and Mr***. Thank you, *** *** ***

Hello ***,Please see attached treatment plan and invoices for *** ***We also performed an in house cytology and a surgery consult (with Dr***) at no charge.Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.*** ***Hospital Manager

I am rejecting this response because: This is not true. VCA is clearly playing with their words. The reason for the appointment being made in the first place was because she had developed a bunch of spots around her eye specifically and a few on her stomach. I had been watching those (she has bad allergies as well) they did not go away when her allergies cleared up so I called to make an appointment. I expressed my concerns because of the spots and her not feeling like herself. I never got abusive with VCA. I was upset and voiced my feelings on how I believed they were trying to play me. I was never told until the phone call hours after my appointment that they did not perform tests on her eye or stomach which is exactly why this appointment was made in the first place. I have been dealing with this with [redacted] for a few years. I am fairly knowledgable about [redacted]'s diagnosis, this is something we will continue to deal with health wise since it is not curable. VCA has been very unwilling to even accept responsibility for their mistakes and that is unacceptable. I never threatened to sue, again another fabricated lie. I said I would file a Revdex.com report with my experience as well as make an informational video to show the public how I was treated. That is within my constitutional rights. As for contacting you at 745pm yes I did. Im not sure why you thought that contacting me during my Business hours and requesting me to contact you only during my work hours is completely unreasonable.  Fact remains the tests that were requested were not performed. [redacted] has since been seen by a trustworthy Doctor and is doing fine. The tests requested were performed by the other Doctor for 188.20. That was actually the entire bill. Aspirate multiple sites - 24.50 cytology multiple sites - 57.75. Rest of bill was Physical and meds. [redacted] has been doing fine and has fully recovered. I am appalled at the over pricing and bait and switch tactics used by this business. VCA should not be allowed to continue taking advantage of their customers.

Mr. [redacted] called to schedule a surgery consult on October 11, 2016. [redacted], our referral coordinator for the surgery department, spoke with him on the phone. He told her that Blue had not eaten or drank for two days and that the previous problem had recurred. [redacted] told him that we did not have an...

appointment for a surgery consult for two days. He wanted Blue to be seen sooner, which is understandable, so [redacted] told him that he could come back in through ER. The client agreed. Once Blue was evaluated by our ER doctor he was presented with an estimate. This was to hospitalize Blue overnight and transfer to the surgery team in the morning. The next day, one of our doctors in the surgery department, Dr. [redacted], took over Blue's care. Blue was transferred to the surgery department because of the concern for a retrobulbar abscess which would require surgical intervention. Dr. [redacted] perfomed an exam on Blue. Dr. [redacted] contacted Mr. [redacted] prior to the CT to introduce himself and review the plan for Blue that day. At that time, Dr. [redacted] told Mr. [redacted] that he was concerned that there may be an abscess which could be caused by a foreign body. The CT was performed and it was found that Blue did have an abscess but that there did not appear to be a foreign body. Dr. [redacted] charged the client an in house surgical consult (which is half the price of a surgical consult) even though the client had agreed to an estimate which included a surgical consult. He did this since the owner had already paid an ER fee. The invoice was less than the low end of the estimate (by $20) even though there was not a culture on the estimate. The estimate did not include a surgery.

I am rejecting this response because: [redacted] was brought here to have the spots on her eye and stomach checked out so they could be removed at the same time as mass tumor removal. VCA failed to do those tests and charged me for other testing. I was not able to go over this with the doctor and was not notified about them not testing the spots until 945 that evening. I waiting for a phone call I never received when I was informed one would come. I had to make several calls in just to find the status of testing that was never done in the first place.  I am sick to my stomach that this is the kind of medical care they give out. If I listened to them [redacted] would be on dying instead of healthy at home. Vca you need to listen to your clients complaints not just do your own thing. I will give till January 1 2016 for this matter to be resolved before I hand this matter over to my legal team and have my media coverage pushed. Thank you

I am rejecting this response because the response was that surgery was not needed after spending well over $1100.00 on a CT and additional services tacked on.  The surgeon after review of CT asked for to send samples in for testing which I consented to(another $324.00).  There was not a surgery consult, the next step was samples for testing. A surgery consult is to inform the owner on how the surgery will be performed.  There should have been no charge at all for a service that was not provided.   I am not disappointed with the care just disappointed in the administrative staff and price gouging.   The vet staff does a great job taking care of the animals.  The administrative staff is only concerned about the profit margin for the VCA corporation.  This was obvious when I pointed out the discrepancy in the estimate and how I was billed more.

Review: VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center did not do what they were supposed to do. I brought [redacted] (My dog) here because I was concerned of her health. She has two kinds of cancer and bad allergies. I knew she had a tumor on her leg that was clearly visible and NOT what I brought her in for. I was deeply concerned of the bumps around her eye (she has a history of skin cancer) She previously had a spot removed that was positive right by the inside of her eye as well. I also was concerned of a few spots on her stomach. I wanted them to look at those and run tests on the eye and stomach spots. We discussed that no X-rays or ultrasounds were done in the past to see what was going on inside. I agreed to these because I did want these done and they were not done by the previous clinic. They told me to leave her and they gave me a quote to do what I was under the impression of was: A few needle aspirations, x-rays, and ultrasound. I agreed and left her. I was called a Few hours later that she was ready to pickup. When I arrived and approached the Counter I informed them I was called that they were finished with [redacted] and her tests. I was directed to the checkout counter. I approached the checkout counter and they wanted me to checkout and take [redacted] home. Without talking to the Dr about the results. I thought that was strange and asked to speak with the doctor about the results. At this time they talked to me about her mast cell tumor on her leg that I already knew about. I was overwhelmed because of the severity of the location on her leg. They switched doctors on me to discus surgery. Im confused because 5 min ago they were trying to get me to leave with her and now they want to do surgery tomorrow? So I ask for the original Dr because I wanted to know about the other spots. I was told she wasn't available and I could just take her home, think about it and the Dr would call me in 20 min. I checked out thinking I would receive a call back, I had to call and was informed there were no other tests dnDesired Settlement: I should not be paying for services not requested. I made a grave mistake in trusting Candy and her healthcare with a veterinary clinic so unprofessional. Refund the amount or I will be forced to continue actions necessary to resolve the matter.

Business

Response:

Mr. [redacted] brought [redacted] into our hospital, VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center, to seek the advice of an oncologist. He was scheduled with Dr. [redacted], boarded medical oncologist, on 10/26/15. At that time, Mr. [redacted] expressed his concern for [redacted]’s recent lethargy and that it was caused by her cancer progressing. Dr. [redacted] presented him with a treatment plan that included an oncology consultation, blood panel, radiographs and ultrasound, to which he consented. These diagnostics would help reveal if [redacted] had metastatic process. Dr. [redacted] also had Dr. [redacted], a boarded surgeon, provide an estimate for a mass removal. In addition, Dr. [redacted] performed in house cytologies at no charge. When Mr. [redacted] came to pick [redacted] up, he asked to speak with Dr. [redacted]. She was with another client at that time and was told that she could speak with him in about twenty minutes if he wanted to wait. He said that he wanted to take [redacted] home and would like for Dr. [redacted] to call him. When she did not return his call by 6:30 PM (he had left our hospital after 5:40 PM), he called the hospital asking to speak with her. When he was told that she was unavailable, he became upset and abusive with the CSR. Dr. [redacted] returned his call at 6:40 PM and he did not answer, so she left a message on his machine. She called again at 8:40 PM and he answered. He was abusive with Dr. [redacted] at that time, stating that he did not trust our facility since she did not call him twenty minutes after he left. When she tried to communicate her findings and recommendations, he started screaming at her and told her to “go screw herself”, threatened to sue and report us to the Revdex.com, then hung up. The next day, he called and left a message for me, the hospital manager. He was again abusive with the CSR and kept her on the phone for an extended length of time. I returned his call and he did not answer the phone. I left him a message with my hours in the hospital. He returned my call at 7:45 that night, over two hours after I told him that I would be gone. When the CSR told him that I was not in the hospital, he said that not to bother to leave a message since his story would be on the news the next day. We provided services to him with his authorization and the invoice did not exceed his signed estimate. We are very sorry that [redacted] is not doing well but we feel that we have done everything that we can to resolve Mr. [redacted]'s concerns.

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: This is not true. VCA is clearly playing with their words. The reason for the appointment being made in the first place was because she had developed a bunch of spots around her eye specifically and a few on her stomach. I had been watching those (she has bad allergies as well) they did not go away when her allergies cleared up so I called to make an appointment. I expressed my concerns because of the spots and her not feeling like herself. I never got abusive with VCA. I was upset and voiced my feelings on how I believed they were trying to play me. I was never told until the phone call hours after my appointment that they did not perform tests on her eye or stomach which is exactly why this appointment was made in the first place. I have been dealing with this with [redacted] for a few years. I am fairly knowledgable about [redacted]'s diagnosis, this is something we will continue to deal with health wise since it is not curable. VCA has been very unwilling to even accept responsibility for their mistakes and that is unacceptable. I never threatened to sue, again another fabricated lie. I said I would file a Revdex.com report with my experience as well as make an informational video to show the public how I was treated. That is within my constitutional rights. As for contacting you at 745pm yes I did. Im not sure why you thought that contacting me during my Business hours and requesting me to contact you only during my work hours is completely unreasonable. Fact remains the tests that were requested were not performed. [redacted] has since been seen by a trustworthy Doctor and is doing fine. The tests requested were performed by the other Doctor for 188.20. That was actually the entire bill. Aspirate multiple sites - 24.50 cytology multiple sites - 57.75. Rest of bill was Physical and meds. [redacted] has been doing fine and has fully recovered. I am appalled at the over pricing and bait and switch tactics used by this business. VCA should not be allowed to continue taking advantage of their customers.

Business

Response:

Hello [redacted],Please see attached treatment plan and invoices for [redacted]. We also performed an in house cytology and a surgery consult (with Dr. [redacted]) at no charge.Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.[redacted]Hospital Manager

Review: Everything went fine until I received a bill with ridiculous charges. I was told that my dogs dew claw was going to trim it and check if it's infected. I received a charge of $20. They trimmed all her nails. I did not get the option to have them cut her other nails. I could of cit them. Then I was charged over $37.00 for bandage. My biggest complaint is not being aware of these charges. Medication I get it, but I was not aware of them opting to wrap her paw so she wouldn't lick it. I did not get the option to opt out of it.Desired Settlement: I didn't think it was right that I had to pay for services I didn't agree to. I understand the fee for the Dr. Visit, cost of medication (which was given as a just in case). Charge me the cost to cut the nail that needed addressing. I feel like the doctors work on commission-sell and charge as much as you can. It's unfortunate because this is really most customers last resort when it comes to getting them help and to be financially taken advantage feels wrong.

Business

Response:

We do not have a client by this name in our computer system. Searching our transactions for the date of July 7, we find an [redacted] with a different address, but the same email address and transaction details, so we assume this is the same person. We were surprised to hear that Mr. [redacted] had any concerns about her visit as we have no documentation that she made any effort to contact us directly to share concerns or attempt resolution. In addition, it appears that she has since returned to the hospital for a follow up visit on 7/14/14 and was not charged for the bandage change at that time, although there would normally be an additional $37.65 fee for each bandage that is placed. We apologize that Ms. [redacted] did not receive a detailed estimate of charges for her visit with Dr [redacted]. We will certainly address that with him. As far as concerns about specific charges, there is no charge for one nail trim so the fee would be $20.65 regardless of whether we trimmed one nail or all of them. Additionally, as Dr [redacted] saw evidence of early infection, he felt it was important to place a protective wrap on the area in order to avoid further trauma or risk of further infection due to getting dirty. We would welcome a conversation directly with the client is she would like to speak further about her concerns.

Addendum to previous response. I read the invoice wrong re the subsequent visit. There was no new bandage added...just a bandage removal. It would often be customary to charge a recheck fee for that visit, but not always. In speaking further with Dr [redacted], he chose to charge the nail trim fee because it is less expensive than 'wound care' or 'minor surgery' which would have been more appropriate for clipping and cleaning the area with the affected toenail. He chose that fee in order to save the client money already.