Veterinarians of today are busier than ever before. Juggling clinical pet care with increasingly informed and involved pet owners and the demands of marketing and running a practice means most veterinary professionals have to wear multiple hats at once. Most probably wish they could clone themselves.
If this sounds familiar to you, know that there are new technologies in veterinary medicine hitting the market all the time that are built to assist you in your practice.
From improving your office’s operational and record-management methods to providing pet owners with instant updates on their pet’s health and location, these industry-leading technologies can help you improve your practice’s efficiency and patient retention. Here are three you should know about.
Cloud-Based Software
Much like their canine companions, pet owners can smell disorganization a mile away. They want to work with a veterinarian who maintains an updated and engaging online presence and efficient office-management methods. Software is your friend here.
Cloud-based office-management platforms such as Covetrus’s eVetPractice can shoulder the burden of logistical legwork for your staff members by keeping your records up to date, as well as increase your sales and relationship-building by automatically reminding pet owners to maintain treatment and diet plans.
Your software should:
- Offer staff trainings for a smooth transition to your new office-management system.
- Send clients automatic reminders to refill empty or expired prescriptions.
- Track pets’ special dietary needs and treatment plans.
- Monitor your prescription, pet-product, and dietary-needs inventories and ensure each is adequately stocked.
- Offer home-delivery options for prescriptions and pet-care products.
Fitness Trackers
Many pet owners rely on fitness trackers to help them hit their own daily health goals, and new technology allows them — and you — similar visibility into their pets’ well-being. Many pet fitness trackers attach to the pet’s collar and encourage owners to set goals for their furry friend’s health and daily activity level. Certain monitors track Fido’s sleep quality, heart rate, and activity levels throughout the day, sending pet parents accountability reminders when their pet’s levels fall short of their goal.
You can use the health-related data from fitness trackers to advise pet owners during scheduled visits and prevent unwanted health conditions from developing. The more you know, the better advice you can give.
Polymer Microchip Technology
Of the 10 million pets that get lost each year, 90% of those who are found make their way home with the help of permanent identification such as microchips. Microchipping ensures that a pet parent’s name, contact information, and address are easily accessible via a unique 15-digit code stored in the national pet-recovery database. If an altruistic animal lover brings a lost pet to animal control, an animal shelter, or your office, staff can scan this code and help reunite the pet with its family. So why don’t all pet parents microchip their pets?
For some pets, it may not be an option (if they are old or unwell). Some pet parents may simply not know about the benefits. Some may be concerned about the injection being painful or about the materials used. Now, there’s an even better option.
Datamars’ new microchip technology is made of a polymer solution that’s thinner than traditional glass chips and incredibly durable, making it a barely noticeable, one-time investment in a pet’s safety. Some chips also feature small holes where a pet’s skin tissue can anchor to the device, preventing it from moving around after you implant it.
Purchasing the latest microchip technology — and encouraging your clients to do the same — lets pet owners know you prioritize their pets’ safety and helps position you as a caring and innovative consultant.
Ultimately, investing in new technology in veterinary medicine can help differentiate you from your competition, but it’s important to be able to distinguish between innovations that are simply the latest and those that are the latest and greatest.
As a master distributor, EPiQ Animal Health partners with trusted brands to bring you industry-leading products and solutions that help you offer animals the best possible care. Learn more about our partners and products here.
