ComplaintsforMidway Animal Hospital

• Initial Complaint

  07/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I received multiple emails from the clinic offering a significant discount on medications through a partnered vet pharmacy. Encouraged by this, I ordered medication for my dog, *****. However, I was informed that the prescription couldn't be filled because ***** had not been seen yet. I was instructed that in order to have the prescription filled, I needed to schedule an appointment, which would cost $49, in addition to a mandatory heartworm test totaling $88. I scheduled the appointment as instructed, solely for the purpose of obtaining the flea and tick medication. Immediately following my appointment, I was informed by the office manager that the clinic had terminated its relationship with the pharmacy (ironically enough due to promises not being kept and other varying ethical concerns), rendering the discount offer obsolete. I requested that the clinic honor the discount offer, given that it was the reason for my visit and the clinic's business relationships should not be of my concern nor responsibility. Request denied. Subsequently, I was informed that the clinic would not fill prescriptions from online sources if the medication was available in-house, effectively limiting my options. This policy, coupled with the termination of their pharmacy relationship (unbeknownst to me), left me out of pocket for the appointment fee and deprived me of the promised discount. I attempted to connect with Midway to discuss on two occasions, never to receive acknowledgement. Fast forward a month and we have a flea infestation forcing me to purchase the medication at cost. I ask for the printed prescription and was denied that right being told that I could only purchase it in house. Imagine my shock to find that not only will they not give me my dogs prescription but they charge 52% more than anywhere else. Price gouging and forcing your customer to purchase at absorbent pricing is completely against the AVMA's Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics. I request a refund.

  Business response

  08/20/2024

  The facts are as follows;
  
  Midway Animal Hospital parted ways with our 3rd Party online pharmacy on 5/22/24.  
  
  The text messages ******* used as her exhibit were from the online pharmacy we had been partnered with, they were not from Midway Animal Hospital, as we do not have this technology.
  
  In addition, the dates listed were from the middle of April with the last one being May 9th.
  
  ********* appointment was on 5/30/24. This is 7 days after we parted ways with our online pharmacy.
  
  Our website (midway-animalhospital.com) has been up to date with regards to our policy on filling requests with/from outside pharmacies since Midway Animal Hospital transferred ownership back in October 2020.
  
  You can find our policy regarding filling outside pharmacy medication request in two areas on our website:
  Policies
  FAQ's
  
  ******* declined flea/tick/heartworm medication at the 5/30/24 appointment.  She waited until 7/11/24 to order 2 months' worth of flea/tick/heartworm from us; this was almost 2 months since the online pharmacy was disbanded.
  
  The State of Ohio does not require veterinarians to write prescriptions for clients to have them filled at 3rd party pharmacies .   
  
  We respectfully decline to issue any billing adjustments to ***************************** for the services and products she received.
  
  Sincerely,
  **********

  Customer response

  08/22/2024

   
  Complaint: 21979310
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  On May 22, 2024, Midway Animal Hospital ended its partnership with the 3rd party online pharmacy. As a customer, I was not informed of this change, nor would I have been aware of it, as it was not communicated to me in any form. Again, I received multiple emails from Midway Animal Hospital (or that of who they partnered with), which were part of a direct solicitation campaign, promoting discounted medications through this online pharmacy. This promotion was presented to me as a customer of **********************, and I reasonably assumed that any orders made through this portal were being fulfilled under their endorsement.

  Upon submitting my prescription request, it was denied, and I was informedboth via email and over the phonethat I needed to bring my dog in for an exam and heart worm test to be eligible for the promotion. I complied and scheduled the earliest possible appointment, unaware that the partnership had already ended a week prior. The dates are irrelevant as there is simply no way your consumer base would ever be aware of your personal business relationships and ventures. 

  At my appointment on May 30, 2024, I was told that the flea/tick/heartworm medications I sought were not available through the promotion due to the terminated partnership. This information was not provided until after the appointment and with an immediate visit from the office manager even though it was clear from the start that I was seeking these medications based on the promotional offer and the prescription rejection email from Midway Animal Hospital. My reason for exam was very clear and confirmed via phone. The office manager suggested privately a workaround stating that I could request the heart worm record from Midway and provide it to my previous vet clinic in the hopes to order the medication at cost as originally anticipated.  

  Given the circumstances, I feel that Midway Animal Hospital has failed to provide the level of service and transparency expected by its clients. Not honoring promotions is an unfair practice and should they have maintained their integrity, this could have been avoided. The end of their partnership with the online pharmacy should have been communicated clearly and promptly to avoid this entire situation or the promotion offered should have been honored. Midway charges 55% more than other clinics for this medication and are forcing those that visit this clinic to pay absorbent prices. 

  I seek a resolution that acknowledges this oversight and ensures that other customers do not experience similar issues. At minimum, I want a full refund for the office visit that I would have never scheduled or attended under the circumstances. This was $50. I am hopeful to resolve this case and will move on from this practice and any communications with it as this is simply not the type of of relationship I want to be associated with. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

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