When a veterinary emergency strikes, clear communication between general practitioners (GPs), pet owners, and specialists is the ultimate deciding factor in a smooth, successful outcome. Yet, navigating the logistics of an emergency referral remains one of the most high-stress aspects of modern veterinary medicine.
Our founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shadi Ireifej, DACVS-SA, recently joined host Dr. Christopher Lee on an episode of dvm360’s Vet Watch to tackle this exact challenge.
Watch the full 44-minute interview below:
Drawing from his extensive background as a board-certified small animal surgeon, Dr. Shadi shares invaluable insights during the session on how GPs can better prepare clients for the realities of specialty and emergency care—especially regarding prognosis, multi-day hospitalization, and advanced intensive care costs.
“It makes our job easier on the emergency and referral side if the client is set up that way too… Make it where you’re setting that client up, in a general sense, because they’re so used to your prices as a general practitioner, and so used to working with you on an outpatient basis.”
In the interview, Dr. Shadi emphasizes the value of candid client communication, the importance of timely emergency interventions, and how a unified approach protects the vet-client bond.
At VetTriage, our core mission is to act as that critical bridge. By assisting brick-and-mortar clinics with expert telehealth triage, we help educate pet owners on the necessity of immediate care, prepare them for the realities of the ER, and ensure that when a patient is referred, they are truly ready for the next step.
