Refer a Patient
The Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital, the JT Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital, and the Auburn University Veterinary Clinic are committed to providing the best care available to patients coming for treatment. We strive to make the referrals process as quick and efficient as possible, placing the focus on the treatment and well being of your clients and patients.
Companion Animals
For the convenience of our referring veterinarians, the Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital offers online and over-the-phone options for submitting referrals. All referrals are with a Specialty Service, not with a specific clinician. Supporting medical history and patient records are required in order to ensure that our clinicians, technical staff, and veterinary students have the most up-to-date information regarding the referral. The faculty of the Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital emphasize that the basis for strong communication and a team approach to the patient’s care begins with the information you provide.
Online Referrals
We encourage referring veterinarians to submit non-emergency patient referrals online. This method provides our referral office with the details necessary to set up your referral. Take advantage of our online referral form for any small animal patient referred to the Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital.
After the online referral has been submitted, your client can schedule an appointment directly through to the appointment desk by calling 334/844-4690 for small animals, and 334/844/4490 for large animals. For online referrals submitted Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. CST, please allow a minimum of two hours for data entry. For those online referrals being submitted after 2 p.m. CST as well as Saturday and Sunday submissions, we ask that your clients call the appointment desk after 10 a.m. CST on the next business day, to schedule their appointment.
Phone Referrals
Referring veterinarians are welcome to contact the referral office by phone, during normal business hours, to submit a patient referral. Contact Meredith Smildsin or Emily Jones, our Referral Liaisons, at 334/844-5230. This phone line is for referring veterinarians only. For after-hours emergencies, please do not leave voicemail on this line, as your message will not be received until the following business day. After 5 p.m. CST, as well as on weekends/holidays, please call 334/844-4690, and follow the automated instructions to speak with our after-hours emergency staff.
After the phone referral has been submitted, you may schedule the appointment for your client through the referral liaison. If you would prefer to have your client schedule his or her appointment directly through the appointment desk, they may call 334/844-4690. You will be given the patient’s Pre-Admission number at completion of the phone referral. For quick reference when scheduling an appointment, please advise your client to provide this number to the Appointment Coordinator.
Emergency Referrals
The Emergency and Critical Care Service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For emergency referrals during regular business hours, please call the referral office to be put in contact with one of the scheduled emergency clinicians in order to discuss pertinent patient history prior to sending the patient. If after 5 p.m. CST, as well as on weekends/holidays, please call 334/844-4690, and follow the automated instructions to speak with after-hours emergency staff.
Important Contact Details
Referral Office (For referring veterinarians and their staff only): 334/844-5230
Lab Results/Patient Discharges: 334/844-5224
Appointments: 334/844-4690
Fax Number: 334/844-6034
After Hours/Emergency Fax Number: 334/844/1236
Email Address: referral@vetmed.auburn.edu
Imaging File Transmission Instructions
Large Animals
Referrals to the JT Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital, by appointment or emergency admission, can be made by calling 334/844-4490. Referral for appointments can be made during regular business hours. The front office staff will gather a small amount of information in order to direct the call to the appropriate service and the call will be transferred to a clinician on duty. Referrals for after-hours emergency care can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The after-hours student residents will gather a small amount of information before transferring your call to the resident veterinarian on duty.
What You Can Expect When You Refer a Patient:
It is our goal is to communicate with you as quickly as possible following the admission of referred patients. The clinicians will contact you by your preferred communications methods (by phone, email, text, or any combination you prefer). The clinicians will strive to communicate throughout hospitalization and when a significant change occurs in the patient’s care, including changes in the diagnosis or treatment regimen or the death of the patient. Additionally, you will be notified at the time the patient is discharged from the hospital, and discharge summaries will be emailed/faxed to you promptly.
If you have not received the level of communication that you would desire, please contact the clinician on the case to seek more information. Small animal clinicians can be reached by contacting the referral office at 334/844-5230. Large animal clinicians can be reached at 334/844-4490.
