"Provet Cloud is the pillar of how we operate, and our functionality all stems from that central pulse."
Lakehouse Veterinary in Frederick, Maryland, is owned and operated by Matthew Kemper, DVM. As Kemper builds his practice from the ground up, he is leveraging technology to create meaningful efficiencies for himself, his team, and his clients. Among the many benefits of Provet Cloud, the integrated payments solution, Provet Pay, offers pet parents more flexibility – and less pressure – on their veterinary expenses.
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Matthew Kemper, DVM, didn’t start out wanting to be a veterinarian. He came to it later than most, after several years working in international affairs in Washington, DC.
“It was very data-heavy work,” he says, “and there was a constant focus on creating efficiencies and using technology to make my job easier.”
A decade into that career, however, he yearned to make a “more fulfilling connection with people on a daily basis” – a search that led him to enroll in veterinary school.
What he soon came to discover about the clinical setting is that his tech-savvy background could not only help him create more meaningful client experiences but also, Kemper says, “find ways to integrate programs and automate repetitive tasks that save me hours, even days, of work – and therefore, allow more time spent with the client and patient.”
His early experiences in practice introduced him to cloud-based veterinary software, but too often these systems weren’t intuitively designed, nor could they automate common, day-to-day tasks – which surprised him. “I think that if practices want to grow and be successful, they need more efficiency on the administrative side.”
Visions of a better practice – and better software
When Kemper set out to start Lakehouse Veterinary near Frederick, Maryland, he envisioned a clinic that not only runs efficiently but promotes staff and client well-being.
Their new building, currently in the works, is designed to accommodate a full suite of veterinary services, including two surgery rooms, and on the second floor a kitchen, a multi-purpose room with comfortable chairs, and a private patio will allow staff members “to have physical separation from the work, to get some fresh air, which is very important for mental health,” he says.
Meanwhile, in response to a fast-growing demand for veterinary care in the area, Kemper has already begun seeing patients – inside their own homes.
And the first thing he did to get his mobile (for now) practice off the ground: find a cloud-based software solution to be “the pillar of how we operate.”
Tools that automate and integrate
Provet Cloud fills many of the gaps that Kemper encountered with previous practice management systems.
Automated reminders
“If I need to set myself a reminder to follow up on a client about something, I can do that,” he says.
Reminders to clients are also easier to send. “I use the texting functionality a lot, and I can set it up once so that I don’t even have to think about it, which helps keep me organized – and my clients love getting text reminders about when their pet’s next appointment is or when the next vaccine is due.”
Key integrations
Provet Cloud’s integration with Kemper’s preferred veterinary supply solution, Vetcove, makes sure his inventory always reflects the latest pricing on products. “Because I’m often buying the same things over and over, price increases risk cutting deeper and deeper into profit margins unless I stay on top of them. But with Provet Cloud, I don’t have to; it’s always reflecting the new price on the invoice and maintaining my margins.”
And exporting all of his financials to his accounting software, Xero, couldn’t be easier. “It’s one click of a button,” he says.
Making payments easier for clients – and easier on staff
A centerpiece of convenience in Kemper’s mobile operation is his integrated payments solution, Provet Pay, a native extension of Provet Cloud.
Payment anywhere, anytime
With Provet Pay, the steps from invoice to payment are reduced to one. “As soon as I finalize the invoice and click the ‘Provet Pay’ button, it just shows up on the point-of-sale unit,” he says. “It works great.”
Many of his clients choose to keep a tokenized card on file, which securely stores credit card information for automated and contactless payments. “If someone wants to reorder food or preventatives, they can just shoot me a text and I can immediately process the request with their card on file. Or I can send them a text-to-pay link if they prefer.”
Less stress in settling up
The ease and flexibility of payments with Provet Pay helps lower the pressure around recommended veterinary services – and not just for the client. Kemper says it’s often “a hard mental shift for the veterinarian” to go from discussing care to asking for payment. “So I might spend a lot of time going over the estimate with a client, then send the invoice later.”
And for euthanasia appointments, he says, “I will typically take care of everything beforehand – an electronic consent form and a payment link. So, going into the appointment, it’s much less stressful for everyone not to have to talk about what’s owed.”
Future-proofing payments
As soon as Lakehouse Veterinary opens its brick-and-mortar location, Kemper looks forward to implementing subscription-based wellness plans, which will allow him to automate incremental payments and offer discounts for services – all to help minimize the “sticker shock” of veterinary costs.
The future is bright for Lakehouse Veterinary. Kemper hopes to complete work on his new building by summer 2024, a transition that will enable him to offer more services, expand his team, and tap into even more of Provet Cloud’s efficiency-building tools.
