Overview
A dedicated, purpose-built feline hospital, Inner West Cat Hospital was founded by Dr Michaela Avery and her colleague, Ashley McCarthy, Vet Nurse and Business Partner.
The Inner West Cat Hospital in New South Wales, Australia, was established in 2021 with the heartfelt desire to offer a sanctuary for feline friends. They wanted to make sure that the felines’ special needs were met, both emotionally and physically, by providing them with a tranquil environment, soft-close kennels, state-of-the-art equipment designed for cats, and a strict no-dog policy.
As an ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) gold standard accredited space, Inner West Cat Hospital offers the full range of veterinary GP services and is committed to the highest clinical standards of care, with a personalised approach and superior patient care.
A seamless transition
The team at Inner West Cat Hospital needed a cloud-based practice management solution that was simple to implement and use. They chose Covetrus Ascend for its ease of use and efficient setup. Ashley remarked:
“The last thing we wanted was any friction in switching over to new software. With Ascend, it was actually very simple, smooth, and no hassle. Any minor issues were quickly resolved.”
Enhancing workflow efficiency
Ascend’s intuitive interface has dramatically streamlined daily operations at Inner West Cat Hospital. The software’s user-friendly design allows staff to navigate through various functions with ease, reducing the learning curve and minimising training time. This efficiency has enabled the hospital to maintain its high standards of care without interruption.
Its integrations have been particularly beneficial for Ashley’s team and ensure that all patient data is centralised, easily accessible, and updated in real time. The hospital’s staff can manage appointments, medical records, diagnostics, billing, and inventory from an easy-to-use, intuitive platform, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
Ashley states:
“The interface is just so easy and nice to look at, it makes a difference in our day when we have a million things going on. It’s also a lot less hassle than other systems I’ve used in the past too. And certain features like the Inpatients Workflow are brilliant, as it’s easy to see notes for the day and makes things so much smoother.”
What is Inpatients Workflow? Instead of manually writing down on a whiteboard, paper or Excel sheet where patients are on the journey, Ascend’s Inpatients Workflow feature allows paperless viewing of the patient journey via any modern device. This feature is particularly useful for larger clinics needing visibility on the hospital and surgery statuses of patients. The feature can be viewed on large TVs. Track the full journey from check-in to discharge and improve team visibility and client communications.
Another thing the team liked about Ascend was its natural ability to complete tasks with far fewer clicks than competing cloud-based systems. Instead of “ten different ways to do one thing,” the team found greater empowerment with fast workflows, which reduced process complexity.
Saving time with key integrations
One of the standout features for the team is the ability to upload images either directly or integrated from their lab machines into Ascend. This functionality allows the team to efficiently track changes in lumps, skin conditions, and dental health through photographic records or diagnostic updates.
Ashley shares her thoughts:
“I love that we can upload images straight away; it’s very efficient. The integration with external labs means our receptionist no longer has to attach results from IDEXX manually, saving us valuable time and reducing administrative burden.”
This type of integration has further simplified processes. Lab results are automatically imported into the patient records, eliminating the need for manual attachment and ensuring that all critical diagnostic information is available at a glance.
Ascend’s built-in features also helped to save time:
“Automatic save on consults is handy, for example, being able to start notes in the consult room, walking away to complete another task and then coming back to it without worrying about losing notes. This is gold for us, as our vets love the flexibility of it, especially those who have children, they like to finish their notes at home and it helps provide work/life balance.”
This has not only reduced administrative burden but also enhanced the accuracy and timeliness of patient care. Ashley and the team enjoy the mobility and flexibility available with Ascend in its cloud-based nature. Instead of being constricted to a physical setup, the team can access their consult notes and histories from home if need be and this has helped improve work/life balance.
Proactive implementation and friendly support
The implementation team’s excellent guidance made the switch to Ascend seamless. Nicole, the implementation team member, played a pivotal role by being readily available through emails, phone calls, and training sessions. Her friendly and supportive approach ensured a smooth switch-over process.
“Nicole was always on hand, making the transition effortless. Even weeks after the handover, the support has remained proactive and incredibly helpful.”
All staff members at Inner West Cat Hospital were engaged in Ascend Essentials and video training, which served as valuable references for ongoing use. The training materials helped with recall and provided a strong foundation, even for those who didn’t complete extensive training. The intuitive and user-friendly design of Ascend made it easy for staff to navigate and figure things out independently when needed.
Additionally, the online support portal is simple to use and provides staff with a trustworthy resource whenever they need it, providing real-time support. This empowered the hospital’s team to efficiently manage their operations and maintain high standards of care.
Comprehensive patient management
By leveraging Ascend, Inner West Cat Hospital has created a more cohesive and efficient practice environment. From managing appointments to updating medical records and billing, all essential functions are interconnected, allowing the staff to deliver superior patient care with minimal administrative hassle.
The seamless transition, enhanced workflow efficiency, and excellent customer support have empowered the hospital to provide exceptional care to their feline patients while optimising internal processes.
For veterinary practices seeking to improve their operational efficiency and patient care, discover how Covetrus Ascend can transform your practice.
Why the Inner West Cat Hospital chose Ascend:
- Seamless transition:
- Simple and easy to use
- Smooth implementation with minimal issues
- Workflow efficiency:
- The intuitive interface simplifies daily operations in comparison to other cloud-based providers
- Reduced training time thanks to easy navigation
- Key features like Inpatients Workflow streamline processes
- Fewer clicks and hassle versus competing providers
- Cloud-based flexibility and mobility
- Key integrations and features:
- Direct image uploads for tracking health issues
- Automatic lab results integration from IDEXX
- Features like automatic save on consults enhance flexibility
- Customer care:
- Exceptional support from Ascend’s technical support, implementation and customer success teams
- Proactive assistance during and after the transition
- Valuable training resources for ongoing use