This has improved the health and quality of life for pets and extended the companionship that clients enjoy from their animals.
However, many veterinary professionals are unaware of how technology can help their practice thrive through increased compliance, improved client and team satisfaction, and higher revenue.
To remain competitive and drive practice efficiency, here are six technology must-haves.
Practice management software
If you’re considering bringing your systems up to date to match your physical location, it’s important to consider all leading software providers and make sure the products they offer are customizable to your business, provide additional solutions that integrate with software to increase staff efficiency, and is compatible with the other solutions the practice uses.
Prescription management
Digital prescription management lets you prescribe products for client home delivery. This technology delivers convenience and automated online management tools, meaning your clients are much more likely to comply with your recommendations. Powerful built-in analytics identify gaps in care and flag revenue-generating opportunities you may have missed.
Customized client communications
Reliable communication is the backbone of any successful veterinary practice, yet more than 40% of practices don’t have formal communication in place.1 besides protecting your patients’ health, regular veterinary visits safeguard your practice’s financial health. After all, preventive services and production generate 38% of a practice’s income.2
Online appointment scheduling
Allowing clients to schedule appointments at a time and place convenient for them sends a clear message you value their time. Online appointment scheduling generates a 15% increase in new patients each month.3 It also reduces in-office delays and streamlines front office tasks, giving your team valuable time to focus on clients and patients.
Integrated payments
Manual entry of client payments and credit card reporting wastes valuable staff time and often results in error. Even worse, many veterinary practices are paying a rate at least 1.25% higher than they should for credit card processing, including fees to small lenders and banks.5 Integrated payment processing eliminates data entry errors and enables speedier checkout. It also gives better transaction visibility and up-to-date, accurate reports.
Hardware
Hardware in a busy veterinary practice is likely to need replacing every 3 to 5 years.4 If you can’t install the latest operating system, your computers are running slow, or your machines are becoming noisy, it is likely time to replace your hardware. Planning for hardware upgrades can not only alleviate unexpected financial pressure, but also provide a generally more efficient veterinary practice.
1. Vetstreet 2. Wendy Myers 3. The Pet Hospitals 4. Covetrus 5. TBC