To make a Standard Referral

By telephone: 404-459-6735 Monday - Friday, 8 am - 7 pm

Submit Online Referral

The online form can be filled out and submitted electronically. Referrals are processed within one business day.

By Fax: 404-459-0237

Referral forms can be downloaded from our website or faxed upon request.

Prior to your patient’s appointment:

• Please fax all lab work and applicable history to 404.459.0237.
• Please send your clients with a copy of pertinent radiographs (or mail them in advance). Please do not email radiographs.

To make an Emergency Referral

By telephone: 404-459-0903

When sending an emergency to us:

• Please have the Primary Veterinarian call in the Emergency referral.
• Fax all pertinent information to 404-459-6462.
• If possible, please provide results of previous diagnostics. This improves our evaluation of the pet and helps to decrease costs for your client.

Because GVS Sandy Springs is a 24/7 facility, emergency services are available for your patients with or without a referral. Patients can be seen by one of our emergency clinicians 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. This includes emergency evaluation and surgery, if necessary. We urge you to call us before your client transports an emergency case. Having information about an animal’s condition and estimated time of arrival aids our ability to provide prompt and appropriate treatment. In the event that your client brings the patient to GVS without your referral, we will make every effort to send you a faxed update regarding the case, just as we do when you refer the patient as an emergency.

Phone Consultations

As a service to referring veterinarians, complimentary telephone consultations with GVS specialists are available during normal business hours, Monday through Friday. The specialists will make every effort to speak with you when you call. However, if they are unable to do so, your call will be returned as soon as possible. If you are in an exam room and wish to be interrupted when we call, please let us and your front staff know. It is also helpful to have an after-hours phone number where you may be contacted after your hospital closes.

GVS – Sandy Springs

Phone: 404-459-6735

GVS – Gwinnett

Phone: 770-277-8600

Patient Updates

When your patient is examined at GVS, you will receive a fax update regarding the case. A copy of the discharge instructions will be faxed to you upon your patient's release. In addition, we will make every effort to notify you regarding any major change in your patient's condition.

We also understand that owners will often call to ask your opinion of our care because of the relationship they have with you and the trust they place in your opinion. Many times owners may not fully communicate what we have explained to them due to the amount and complexity of the information we try to pass along. We encourage you to call our doctors to obtain detailed information and to provide your insight on the owner’s needs.

To assure quality of care, the GVS nursing staff is not authorized to give patient medical information to referring veterinarians or owners. If a request for an update is made by an owner during a patient’s stay, the nursing staff will be able to relay basic parameters (appetite, comfort, temperature etc). However, only the specialty or attending doctor can speak to a referring veterinarian about case details.

Financial Policy

We know that when your client is dealing with a sick pet, financial arrangements may be not be what he or she wants to focus on. However, the fees for veterinary specialty care can be higher than what the client is used to in a normal veterinary visit. For most pet owners, the unexpected nature of the expense is the most troubling. That’s why we make sure that a detailed estimate of the pet's proposed care is provided to the client when the patient arrives at GVS. This is, however, an estimate, and medical conditions can change quickly. We will notify your clients of any changes in plans or expected costs.

Sometimes referring veterinarians want to know what an estimate may be prior to referring the patient and client to our facility. We can provide one, however, please keep in mind that estimates over the phone are at best, rough, and the diagnosis speculative. We believe that an appointment with one of our specialists is the best way to give you and your clients the most accurate information about the pet’s medical condition, options for care, and the costs associated with treatment.

For certain procedures, prolonged stays and extensive emergency visits, we require a deposit. In addition, when the pet is hospitalized, our policy is to keep the owner updated on charges, informing them when the charges start to exceed the initial estimate. We encourage you and your client to ask questions so that everyone feels comfortable.

Full payment is required at the time services are provided, when the pet is discharged. We accept the following forms of payment: cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. While we do not offer a payment plan for services we do accept CareCredit --a medical specific credit plan -- and can process applications in our facility. For convenience, the client may obtain pre-approval and credit limit information prior to arrival by applying online at www.carecredit.com, or by calling (800) 677-0718 between 8 am and 10 pm EST.

Pet insurance can cover some or part of the procedures. Clients should check with their individual pet insurance carrier for procedures and policies covering specialty services. We do not process pet insurance, however we can provide the client documentation of services rendered so that he can submit a claim to the insurance carrier.