Digital WaitList Information
Country Brook historically had a policy of seeing every single client that came through our doors before 6:30pm. However, our clinic has grown significantly in serving the community and we can no longer commit to this anymore. This commitment was leading our staff to working until 11 o’clock at night in order to accommodate all of the clients signed in by 6:30pm. This is a pace that we can no longer sustain, so we are making some changes.
We will remain a walk-in hospital as we have always been, and will not accept appointments. However, we will cut off the number of patients when we have reached the maximum capacity of customers that we can reasonably serve in one twelve-hour-work day. We appreciate your understanding, patience and loyalty.
What is the digital WaitList?
The Waitlist is a digital queue that secures your spot in line to see one of our veterinarians the same day. Our list opens daily at 6am and we begin seeing clients promptly at 7am. When you visit our website, simply click on the green button titled, “Join WaitList” to sign up. A receptionist can also help you get your name added to the list, so feel free to give us a call or stop by our office during our normal business hours if you need additional support.
Once you have successfully signed up on our list you will receive text messages alerting you to your status in line. You will also have the ability to view your estimated wait in real time at the click of a button by following the link provided to you via text and email.
It is important to note that getting signed up on our WaitList does not set you up with an appointment, rather it puts you in line behind those who have checked in to our hospital before you.
Why did we adopt this new system?
We have always used paper sign-in sheets the order in which our clients are seen. When the pandemic began last year, we were forced to come up with a new system so we could still safely see walk-in visits without overcrowding our waiting room. The digital WaitList allows us to do this with the bonus of allowing our clients to check in from the comfort of your own home as well as check the status of your wait at your convenience.
My wait time is longer than originally quoted - What happened?
We do our very best to see all clients in the order in which you have each signed up. However, we are also a hospital and as such we must triage our patients as necessary. Any patient that presents with a medical emergency will be taken out of order so that a veterinarian can provide immediate, lifesaving care. These emergent cases will automatically push back everyone else’s wait times by about 30 minutes. There are a few other situations when patients may be seen out of apparent order. Those situations include:
- Tech visits (visits that do not require an exam by a veterinarian)
- Euthanasia visits
- Hospital and surgical discharges
There are other factors that can also cause your wait time to fluctuate. The number of veterinarians on staff varies daily and has a huge impact on how quickly patients are seen. We highly recommend selecting “First Available” as your veterinarian of choice when getting signed up on our WaitList – all of our DVMs are wonderful and will provide you with the highest standard of care our hospital has to offer. Being flexible with which veterinarian you are willing to see can greatly reduce the wait time.
It is important to note that not every visit takes the same amount of time. We take our time in the exam rooms because we are trying to provide the best level of care for our patients – even if it means impacting our estimated wait times. We know you want the best care for your pet – and we do too!
I tried signing up but the waitlist was already closed - What does this mean?
Unfortunately, there are days when our hospital is completely slammed and we are unable to accommodate the demand of clients and patients that are needing to be seen. To ensure that we can spend the appropriate amount of time with each patient, be able to take in emergencies at any given moment, and still get our team home to their families at a reasonable time of day, we are sometimes forced to make the difficult decision to close our list to further patients.
I am not able to come in until the afternoon but the list is always closed by that time of day - How can I get in for a visit?
We understand that many of our clients are unable to come in for a visit early in the day. We still ask that you get yourself signed up on the list as early in the day as possible in order to guarantee that your pet will be seen the same day. From there, just communicate with us! You will receive a text message once you are signed up on the list – you can simply reply to that text to let us know that you will not be able to return to the hospital until much later. We will keep you on the list as long as you continue to communicate with us.
I have a medical emergency - What do I do now?
If your pet is experiencing a medical emergency during our normal business hours, please come to our hospital for an examination immediately. We accept emergencies even if our WaitList is closed for the day.