Sarcoid referral fee!!!???are you kidding me ??!!

[chocolategirl]

Hi I just had my latest bill from vet and noticed a 'sarcoid referral fee' of £27.60 on there. Apparently we are not being charged enough for the liverpool cream already, bearing in mind that each application requires a visit from vet and I'm told probably sedation!! Talk about money for old rope I kid you not. It's to cover the sending of the photos, which are done via email by the way at no cost, and to get the opinion from prof knottenbelt about whether to use the cream or not. Of course they are going to recommend using it, that's the whole point! Sorry for rant I'm just so cross that this extra charge wasn't even mentioned to me before I agreed to go down the liverpool cream route. Anyone else's vet charge this?

 

[dianchi]

Whilst its a pain and your vet didn't tell you, how much would it cost for a specialist to come and visit you and give an opinion?

Also they normally send a few different strength creams dependant on the sarcoid, so there is some work involved when they get the "free" pictures.

 

[thatsmygirl]

I can sort of understand why, even if the pics are e mailed across the prof knottenbelt is looking and advising so u are paying for his views else he could do a lot of work for free. Should of told u though

 

[hnmisty]

I can sort of understand why, even if the pics are e mailed across the prof knottenbelt is looking and advising so u are paying for his views else he could do a lot of work for free. Should of told u though

Agree with this. You should have been told, and from an individual owner's point of view, it is just getting someone to look at some pictures. Multiply that individual by the number of people who have queries about their horses' sarcoids, and it's a heck of a lot of time!

 

[chocolategirl]

It's a new charge though that's been brought in recently as my other horse had sarcoids a couple of years ago and there was no referral fee. It's just annoying when I know that my vet gets commission as well when they refer a horse to leahurst. I just don't like hidden charges it's sneaky and I think we get charged more than enough for the treatment itself! Really wanted to hear from anyone who's vet also charges this sarcoid referral fee as well please?

 

[ester]

Prof knottenbelt has had at least 3 sets of photos to look at for Frank and definitely no referral fee charged! Ridiculous amount for an email.

You aren't paying for the Prof's time I don't think? That would perhaps be different.

I don't have a bill to hand to double check though.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I got charged the referral fee too earlier this year, I was told it was brought in, in January.

Remember, the cream is made up to the 'right' strength for that type of sarcoid as presented in the photos.

However, regarding the application, having sat down & done sums with vet, it was actually cheaper to drop horse at vets on a Fri morning & pick up the week later - they were able to administer the cream the 4 times required & including a week of livery, it was still vastly cheaper than having vet out the 4 times to apply!

 

[chocolategirl]

Prof knottenbelt has had at least 3 sets of photos to look at for Frank and definitely no referral fee charged! Ridiculous amount for an email.

You aren't paying for the Prof's time I don't think? That would perhaps be different.

I don't have a bill to hand to double check though.

Interesting. I will be furious if I find out it's something my vet has decided to add in the guise of it being a charge that leahurst make! I would have thought that any time spent on any referral by prof knot would be factored into this very expensive treatment! Aggghhhh!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

To add, my chap had a disgusting (5cm wide & 4-6cm hanging) engorged fibroblastic sarcoid on his belly. A sudden emergence one that came into view within a week.

After treatment, it scabbed over & DID go down a bit after 2-3 weeks, then stayed the same, then some dropped off & then at around 7 weeks after it was completely flat & then dried over. 3 months later - gone.

 

[chocolategirl]

To add, my chap had a disgusting (5cm wide & 4-6cm hanging) engorged fibroblastic sarcoid on his belly. A sudden emergence one that came into view within a week.

After treatment, it scabbed over & DID go down a bit after 2-3 weeks, then stayed the same, then some dropped off & then at around 7 weeks after it was completely flat & then dried over. 3 months later - gone.

Thanks for that and yes the cream was very successful on my other horse which is why I am having it for the other one. I just think it's unfair when it's so expensive already to add further expense. Sorry but I really have got a bee in my bonnet over this one lol!!!! Just feel it's unjustified I guess but that's just me!

 

[dianchi]

Most Vets get a ref fee back from the hospital they refer to, I know that it was 10% off the total invoice amount at my old vets

 

[devonlass]

Whilst I'm not surprised at the referral fee I don't blame you for being cross,especially as it seems to have been sneaked in there with no explanation of what it actually covers the cost of.

Maybe if you query it with your vets and play on the fact you did not one previously and were not notified of the change in practice they will take it off??

Hope your horse does well with the treatment

 

[planete]

My horse has just had a sarcoid surgically removed after photos were sent to be evaluated. I paid a fee for the photos to be sent and evaluated and the decision made on appropriate treatment. I did not query it as I took it to be a fee for expert opinion.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Hi I just had my latest bill from vet and noticed a 'sarcoid referral fee' of £27.60 on there. Apparently we are not being charged enough for the liverpool cream already, bearing in mind that each application requires a visit from vet and I'm told probably sedation!! Talk about money for old rope I kid you not. It's to cover the sending of the photos, which are done via email by the way at no cost, and to get the opinion from prof knottenbelt about whether to use the cream or not. Of course they are going to recommend using it, that's the whole point! Sorry for rant I'm just so cross that this extra charge wasn't even mentioned to me before I agreed to go down the liverpool cream route. Anyone else's vet charge this?

Hmmm and the cynic in me says we wonder why he slated using toothpaste as a remedy!

 

[Auslander]

I'd be cross with the vets for not mentioning this paritcular cost, but I think its perfectly reasonable for Professor Knottenbelt to charge for his time. There are always going to be people who bitch about him because he is outspoken when he disagrees with something - but there is a very god reason why he is so well known, and his opinion is so well respected.

Incidentally, and this is not aimed at the OP alone- how many of us would do a big chunk of our daily job for free because the client thought they shouldn't have to pay for it? For the record, he is a huge supporter of various charities, a prolific author, and always at the end of the phone if his expertise is needed - all mostly unpaid. I'll keep the ranting to a minimum, but I have had dealings with him in my professional life, and he is one of life's really good guys. Top top bloke...

 

[chestnut cob]

Yes, I was charged £25 for Liverpool to assess my photos and recommend a treatment protocol. I didn't realise until afterw it was done (and on the bill) that I would have to pay a fee, but I did quite a comprehensive report back from them. Vet had emailed the pics over with her report, she then emailed to me the report they sent her. Several pages long, quite in depth analysis of the pics. We'd sent several pics of the area with a definite sarcoid, and a pic of a suspect area. They looked at all the pics, commented, suggested a treatment protocol for the first and a recommended course of action for the suspect area (and reasons for not treating, and why they recommended what they did).

So TBH it's not like it is your vet charging you £25 to send an email. Maybe your vet just hasn't shown you the report from L'Pool?

 

[Gamebird]

It's a new charge though that's been brought in recently as my other horse had sarcoids a couple of years ago and there was no referral fee. It's just annoying when I know that my vet gets commission as well when they refer a horse to leahurst. I just don't like hidden charges it's sneaky and I think we get charged more than enough for the treatment itself! Really wanted to hear from anyone who's vet also charges this sarcoid referral fee as well please?

Liverpool Uni charge the vets the £27 to examine the photos and recommend a protocol. This must be paid upfront by your vet to Liverpool before the photos will be looked at, so effectively your vet is out of pocket until you pay them. Do you expect your vet to suck up the cost rather than pass it on to you? That would be ridiculous. It is a fairly new charge, but Liverpool do have a team of specialists working in the Sarcoid Department and it had to be a commercial proposition.

For the record no vets get commission for referring a horse. That is just ridiculous. Occasionally they get vouchers for money off CPD courses run by the referral institutions but never cash. And the most we're talking about is something like £50 off a course costing £500.

OP you should have been informed of the extra fee up front, but it is not your vets charging you for sending some emails off, they are merely passing on a fee that they have already shelled out on your behalf.

 

[chestnut cob]

Also OP, are you suggesting that the people working at LPool who analyse the pics and write the report for treatment protocols, should do so for free? Would *you* work for free?? You wouldn't tell your farrier to shoe your horse for free and only pay for materials, surely...??

 

[Gamebird]

Hmmm and the cynic in me says we wonder why he slated using toothpaste as a remedy!

Could it be because toothpaste never was nor will be a cure for skin cancer? At best it does nothing, at worst it aggravates the tumour.

 

[fatpiggy]

Well I guess I was particularly lucky as Derek was my horse's consultant and even though she only went to see him once, he always solved arising problems and answered my questions by return of email (which included discussing things with vets in other fields there) over the next 15 years, encouraged me constantly and when I let him know that the old girl's time was up due to chronic and worsening arthritis, and to thank him for everything, sent me the lovliest, kindest and most touching message. I treasure it and would happily lie down in the mud for him to walk over me.

 

[hairycob]

In my experience, they do recommend other treatments than Liverpool Cream where appropriate. So sometimes, without the referral fee, they would earn nothing for their time spent.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Could it be because toothpaste never was nor will be a cure for skin cancer? At best it does nothing, at worst it aggravates the tumour.

I would disagree with that.

 

[Umbongo]

Don't know anything about the sarcoid referral, but at the vets I work at (small animal) we charge a £25 referral fee when reffering to the RVC. The charge pays for the time spent sending pictures, writing detailed reports etc, and for the vets time at the other end. Yes it is only a few pictures, but when it's a few pictures from a few hundred other people...it is a lot of time spent!

We also have to pay the RVC to be our referall and out of hours center, so some of the charge covers that too. We don't get any comission from referring animals.

I must admit until I worked in a vets I had no idea you got charged for refferals! But it guess it does make sense.

Your vets should have told you about the charges though, and that is particularly bad they just added it on. Could you phone your vets and have a word with them about it? They may refund it as a goodwill gesture, if not then at least they may remember to bring up hidden costs in future

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

One of my vets charged £50 to show my farrier the changes in my darties feet. I had requested the xrays be emailed to farrier, farrier asked for them to be emailed so no need for vet to come out again. Vet ignored us both and rocked up, spent 2 mins showing farrier the images, sedated the pony unnecesarily and left again.

My bill for that jaunt against my wishes was: £45 call out, £15 examination fee, £50 to show the farrier the images, £15-20 for the sedation, £8 for the actual process of injecting the sedation, about £4-5 for the gloves, needles and syringes he used whilst there.

Now that is taking the piss!

Liverpool refreral fee I completely agree with.

 

[fburton]

Also OP, are you suggesting that the people working at LPool who analyse the pics and write the report for treatment protocols, should do so for free? Would *you* work for free?? You wouldn't tell your farrier to shoe your horse for free and only pay for materials, surely...??

Not saying the charge is unjustified, though I do wonder how long it takes them to analyze a set of pics.

 

[Auslander]

Not saying the charge is unjustified, though I do wonder how long it takes them to analyze a set of pics.

It's not really important how long it takes - you can't calculate the cost of an expert opinion based on the number of minutes it takes. What matters is the opinion itself.

 

[Goldenstar]

Yup I have just paid for this too.
Far enough why would professor k give his opinion for nothing

 

[Bertieboy]

Re the tooth paste. i used it on four sarcoids prior to seeing the warning. all disapearred and never came back.

 

[Jnhuk]

I was charged a referral fee. Prof K requested a biopsy to confirm sarcoid rather than melanoma. Biopsy result confirmed sarcoid and protocol recommended for BCG injections in to the sarcoid.

Two weeks later the sarcoid was no longer in evidence so we are waiting for it to reappear

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Well I guess I was particularly lucky as Derek was my horse's consultant and even though she only went to see him once, he always solved arising problems and answered my questions by return of email (which included discussing things with vets in other fields there) over the next 15 years, encouraged me constantly and when I let him know that the old girl's time was up due to chronic and worsening arthritis, and to thank him for everything, sent me the lovliest, kindest and most touching message. I treasure it and would happily lie down in the mud for him to walk over me.

he's a good guy, if only all consultants were as sympathetic and pragmatic. Equine research needs people as energetic and passionate as him.