Has your practice identified the need to upgrade its hardware? That’s great! Running new hardware in your practice has many benefits and is a worthwhile investment that will quickly deliver a good return.
Being able to use the latest veterinary technology is essential for the success of your practice. However, upgrading your practice hardware requires forward planning to ensure a successful process that’s within budget and causes minimal disruption.
Being proactive in upgrading your veterinary hardware systems can help improve security and efficiency and prevent problems like computer crashes and resulting staff downtime. Practice hardware doesn’t operate in isolation; a hardware and systems upgrade benefits your entire practice. On the other hand, failing to take action with end-of-life hardware also has practice-wide consequences.
Learn more about the steps you can take to prepare for a practice for a hardware upgrade:
Evaluate your hardware
We recommend reviewing the hardware needs in your practice before committing to any purchases. Once you understand the specific needs of your practice, review the recommended requirements by your software provider. Covetrus® lists these for RxWorks and VisionVPM on their website for easy access. This lets you evaluate what option best suits your needs.
For example, Microsoft® ended support for its Windows 7 operating systems and 2008 and 2008 R2 servers earlier this year, so if your practice is still running these systems, they should be a priority in your evaluation and decision making.
Talk to staff across your practice and identify which systems are causing issues and what these issues are. It may be worth considering a rolling replacement plan and replacing a few computers each year to help manage your budget.
Speak with a specialist
The ‘mysterious’ world of computer hardware can be daunting for many veterinary professionals. We understand this and that’s why it’s often a good decision to talk to a specialist when preparing for a hardware upgrade.
Covetrus offers a variety of business-class computers and hardware accessories from leading vendors, built to withstand the rigorous veterinary practice environment. Our hardware solutions arrive at your location completely pre-configured for the needs of your practice, saving you time, money and stress.
Invest in staff training
There are significant productivity benefits to be gained by providing staff with new hardware to work with. Having equipment that starts up quickly in the morning and doesn’t grind to a halt as the day wears on will speed up computer-based tasks and free up your staff for more valuable face-to- face time with clients.
Upgrading your practice is more than just having the right technology, though. It’s essential to ensure your entire practice is up-to-date and your team is sufficiently skilled and has the training to keep your practice running smoothly and providing the best possible care for your clients.
Preparing your practice thoroughly for an upgrade will help make the process smoother and eliminate stress and uncertainty. A hardware upgrade can be a significant investment for a veterinary practice so budgeting and planning ahead can reduce risk and unexpected costs.
The great news is that after your practice has upgraded its technology, you’ll see immediate benefits in increased productivity, more engaged staff and long-term savings.
Contact us to learn more about the latest hardware upgrade solutions from Covetrus.