Veterinary medicine is built on innovation, yet the profession’s technology adoption rate lags behind human medicine and other industries. You’d be hard-pressed to find a physician still using paper records, but more veterinarians than we’d like to admit are probably doing so.
The same goes for fax machines, dry-erase boards, and other “analog” technologies. Why subject your team to the pain and frustration of these outdated technologies that only slow them down?
Change is hard, but most pet owners belong to tech-savvy generations who expect the convenience and ease of online booking, text confirmations, and telehealth. And, if you haven’t mastered these basics, clients may assume your medicine also is sub-standard. It’s time to say goodbye to the old and embrace the new to be successful in today’s tech-first landscape.
Upgrading your practice management software (PIMS) – or switching from paper to digital in the first place – is a great place to start. The right PIMS can simplify what feels like an overwhelming array of advanced technology, transform your workflows, and future-proof your clinic.
Here’s a look at some “classic” tech tools that some veterinary practices still cling to – and how upgrading to Provet Cloud can help you get up to speed.
Are you still using these 5 outdated veterinary technologies?
When outdated technology use is your daily norm, you may fail to see how it’s hurting your business. Here are a few examples of old tech that may be holding you back:
1. Paper records
The paper records you have always used may feel familiar and comforting, but they are also a logistical nightmare. Transferring these records to another clinic is particularly problematic, as you must fax or scan and email multiple pages to the other practice, where someone must decipher multiple pages of scribble and disorganized notes. Additional issues include lost or misfiled charts, spending too much time handwriting notes, and limited file accessibility.
2. Fax machines
In their defense, fax machines are still widely used in many professions – but that doesn’t mean they’re the best way to communicate. Fax machines, as well as their newer cousins, e-faxes, can be cumbersome and unreliable. They rely on slow connections, and long transmissions are easily disrupted. Additionally, faxed information isn’t secure – anyone at the receiving end can access the document. Physical fax machines also require maintenance and upkeep.
3. Dry-erase treatment boards and paper scheduling books
We can think of few reasons for using a paper appointment book – and they aren’t good ones. Paper scheduling and its more acceptable counterpart, the dry-erase treatment board, with their single location, create confusion and chaos, because no one else in the clinic knows what’s happening. Without centralized digital access, your team can’t work as one.
4. Phone calls
Without digital tools, the phone is your primary means of communication. However, the more time team members spend on the phone dealing with reminders, follow-ups, medication refills, appointment scheduling, questions, and complaints, the fewer patients you can see in person. Plus, today’s busy consumers may not answer their phones or check voicemail as reliably as email or text, and you can’t build relationships with clients without open communication lines.
5. Lacking online presence
Prospective clients today primarily find and evaluate businesses via websites and social media platforms. If you don’t have an online presence, getting new clients can feel like pulling teeth. Prospective clients want to understand your mission and values before booking – if you can’t provide that, they won’t schedule an appointment. Additionally, in an era where you can order almost anything in seconds and schedule your human health visits online, not offering online booking is a missed opportunity.
How a new PIMS can bring your practice into the modern age
How can you overhaul a practice that’s stuck in the dark ages? You might feel overwhelmed by the prospect of replacing all your practice technology and completely gutting your workflows. However, you can make significant gains with one important switch: embracing a new, cloud-based practice management software system.
Some team members initially may push back, and the process will take time, but the efficiency and revenue gains you’ll likely see are worth the transition. Here are some features of cloud-based software that can replace your current cumbersome protocols:
- Digital records — With digital, cloud-based PIMS, your filing woes are over. Retrieve legible, organized patient records with a few clicks and encourage collaboration and efficiency with multi-point access from any Wi-Fi-enabled device.
- Streamlined communication — Replace your fax machine and phone lines with secure, digital communication via email, text message, and mobile applications.
- Intelligent scheduling — Adopt a digital scheduler that reflects real-time updates, reduces errors, and keeps your CSRs off the phone. Digital whiteboard tools accessible from all workstations can help team members track who’s in the hospital, what needs to be done, and who is assigned to the task.
- Automation — Free up your phone lines and improve client communication with automatic appointment reminders, follow-ups, instructions, and paperwork.
- Online presence — A user-friendly mobile app gives clients around-the-clock access to communication channels, educational materials, online booking, and their pet’s records. Paired with a high-quality, well-designed website and social media presence, you’re on the way to explosive growth.
By swapping outdated technology for modern solutions, you can position your veterinary practice as the local place to be. The future is here—are you ready to embrace it?
Key takeaways
- Outdated technology, including paper records, fax machines, and phone reliance, slows you down and alienates tech-savvy clients.
- Modern PIMS solutions streamline operations, lighten workloads, and improve client communication and bonding, resulting in a better bottom line.
- Despite initial hurdles, upgrading hospital technology future-proofs your practice and helps attract and retain new clients and top talent.
Overcome outdated technology with Provet Cloud
Provet Cloud practice management software replaces your outdated technology with comprehensive solutions. With a cloud-based system, you’ll enjoy simple, convenient, and flexible workflows backed by a support team who wants you to succeed.
Schedule a demo to learn how to leave outdated technology behind and embrace the future of veterinary medicine.
