Collaborating for better outcomes

Welcome to this special edition of Insights & Outlooks, looking at the emergency and critical care department at the Southern Animal Referral Centre.

As well as having a long history of providing aftercare for other referral departments at the Centre, the emergency and critical care department at SARC provides flexible and valuable services to primary care veterinarians throughout Melbourne and greater Victoria.

Being open 24 hours a day, the Centre can admit and discharge patients at any time, maximising the ability for primary care vets to stage and plan treatment without having to leave patients unattended. Excellent results can be obtained when both the primary care veterinarian and emergency department work collaboratively on cases, resulting in better diagnoses and more comprehensive treatment for the patient.

The Centre also offers a range of outpatient diagnostics available to primary care vets. This service helps with workup of cases still under the care of primary care clinics where specific answers are needed but diagnostic equipment is unavailable in the general veterinary context. This is particularly helpful where imaging or urgent laboratory tests are needed. Results can be forwarded immediately to the primary care veterinarian after completion of diagnostic procedures, facilitating continued case workup and treatment. A discussion of the types of outpatient services available can be found later in this newsletter.

As well as collaborating with primary care practices, the emergency and critical care department can also deal with all veterinary emergencies when your practice is closed. You can rest easy with the knowledge that verbal and written reports will be sent at intervals during case management and at discharge. Where extended treatment is required we will always offer the owner the option of referral back to the primary care clinic and contact the primary care veterinarian where possible. Where owners are not available for transfer or clinical condition prevents safe transport, patients are able to stay in-house until such time as circumstances allow. Either way, we are most happy to provide collaborative treatment as a genuine option for owners and to work with primary care clinicians to best provide high quality service for your clients.

Where primary care veterinarians wish for cases to receive ongoing definitive treatment at the Southern Animal Referral Centre patients can be hospitalised for as long as is necessary to provide appropriate therapies. Regular updates will be provided on all patients so that primary care vets are fully aware of treatment progress.

In summary, the emergency and critical care department at the Southern Animal Referral Centre is happy to work flexibly in either workup or treatment phases of cases to get the best possible outcome for clients, patients and referrers alike!

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