MONOPOLY!
I wish I had known about the doc in Tucson when my dog's eyes had issues with Glaucoma. The prices at Eye Care for Animals are outrageous. The costs are higher than the same procedures performed on people AND vets don't have to worry about malpractice insurance and large lawsuits as pets are considered property by the law.
It's not to say the doctors are not skilled, but at those prices it is clear that the corporate interest is only in making money and not improving the life of the animals they care for. Just a 5 minute "full" appointment is over $150. Midwestern University is opening a vet school in 2014 and that should provide another, more reasonably priced option in the Phoenix metro area.
There are definitely some techs/nurses that are incredibly warm and caring and I believe absolutely love the animals they work with, but overall the place feels cold and unfriendly.
Time - for the thousands of dollars you may be spending to care for your pet, it would be nice if they doctors actually had time to really answer all your questions. My dog went to another specialist for other issues and I was able to email any questions and concerns and the doctor took time to email a response - no charge. At ECFA, I always felt rushed out of the office and like my questions. concerns were a waste of their time. And, they keep bankers hours - not easy for people who work and really can't miss work if they are to afford the procedures.
Trust - I always found it hard to know whether the course of action being recommended was the right one due to the lack of time to communicate with the vet. And, in one case I was told that there was something happening to the eye effecting my dog's vision and when I went to another vet, who actually let me look in the eye, that condition did not seem to be there.
Like Chandra said, the drive to Tuscon seems like a wonderful alternative.