Patients are seen by referral only. Referral can be made by phone, fax, or via online submission. Our Referral Coordinators are available Monday thru Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm. Fax and Online referral submissions can be made during regular office hours or after hours. Once the referral is made, please advise the clients to contact our office at (404) 292-3281 to schedule their appointment.
If you would like to discuss the case with one of the surgeons, please notify the Referral Coordinator when the referral is made. At the time the referral is made, you will be given an estimate of possible costs for you to share with your client. Clients should be advised that this estimate is based on our experience with patients presenting with similar symptoms but that the needs of individual patients may vary. A more specific estimate will be provided to your client during their office visit. All clients are required to have an office visit with a surgeon before any procedures are scheduled or performed. A thorough examination and patient history are paramount to our ability to provide appropriate and superior care.
Please send all pertinent radiographs, laboratory work and a brief history with your client. If your client is unable to obtain these from you, please send it by fax (404-292-5981) or mail. Alternatively, referring veterinarians can contact our office to send digital radiographs via email to nvs@nvsatlanta.com. If information is not available to the surgeon at the time of the office visit, assessment of the patient is compromised which may result in a delay of treatment.
Emergency Referrals:
Every effort is made by Northlake to accommodate emergency patients. However, in the event that it is not possible for us to see a case as an emergency, a surgeon will consult with you regarding interim care and/or alternative referral services.
Patient follow-up:
You will be contacted by phone or by fax following the patient's discharge. A summary letter and copies of pertinent laboratory work will be mailed to your office once treatment is completed.
If re-evaluation is necessary, the decision of whether follow-up will occur at Northlake or with the general care veterinarian is based on the nature of the follow-up needed, your preferences and the preferences of the client. If follow-up is pursued with the referring veterinarian, continued communication with Northlake is encouraged.
If a client is seeking re-evaluation of their pet at a later date for the same issues for which the initial referral was made, a new referral is not necessary. New issues, however, require your confirmation that you would like us to see the patient for this new problem.
Routine Healthcare:
Routine preventative healthcare is not provided by Northlake. Unless medical factors dictate otherwise, we request that all vaccinations be current prior to referral.
Telephone Consultations for Referring Veterinarians:
Surgical consultations with veterinarians for their patients that have not been seen at Northlake are offered as a courtesy to referring veterinarians at no charge. One of our surgeons will try to return your call the same day that they are received whenever possible. Calls are often returned late in the day, if you are calling about a situation you feel is an emergency, please advise us of the situation and your call will be returned as soon as possible.
Consultations involving radiographs or other materials should be sent via email or mail by the referring veterinarians. Referring veterinarians can contact our office to send digital radiographs by email directly to our surgeons to review.
If materials are sent by mail to be evaluated as part of a surgical consultation, allow adequate time for delivery and then please contact Northlake to consult with one of our surgeons.
Since consultations are offered as a courtesy to referring veterinarians, we ask that you include postage and a return address label for any materials that need to be returned. Otherwise, radiographs are kept on file at our facility and may be picked up at your convenience.
While radiographs may be reviewed by Northlake as part of a case consultation, please keep in mind that our surgeons are not radiologists and cannot offer formal radiographic interpretation. Excellent radiographic interpretation services are offered through the Department of Radiology at the University of Georgia for a nominal fee. Please visit the following website for additional information:UGA
