Vet clinics are busy places. If your clinic environment tends toward controlled chaos, your practice may not be as efficient as it could be. Obtaining peak efficiency in your practice means streamlining your workflow. Here are some changes to help your practice run more smoothly and increase efficiency.
Choose the Right Practice Management Software
True efficiency means choosing the right management software for your practice. It allows you to communicate efficiently with clients. Automatic email or text reminders of upcoming appointments lowers the risk of clients missing them. Other features include inventory tracking, prescription refills, and templates for every aspect of patient care. Moreover, when clients need their vaccine records for boarding or other purposes, they can access them through patient portals, reducing staff workload.
This software also permits clients to book online for non-emergencies, reducing phone calls to the clinic. Online booking allows them to make appointments when your office is closed–a considerable convenience. It should also include invoicing and accounting to simplify financial management—so it’s easy to see the exact state of your clinic’s finances, along with estimated revenues and tax considerations.
Using Medical Notes
Ensure your staff is trained to enter medical or SOAP notes so they can input this information while the veterinarian conducts an exam. The vet’s job is easier when all the data is stored in the system.
In addition to medical notes, cross-training of all staff members increases efficiency. When the entire staff knows how to perform tasks such as cleaning ears, cutting nails, expressing anal glands, and other basic tasks, the veterinarian has more time to attend to more complex medical issues.
Payment Options
If clients have to go to the front desk after their appointment to pay the bill via credit or debit card, that creates a bottleneck that increases the stress on pets. Mobile terminals, integrated with your software, allow clients to pay the bill while still in the exam room. They can leave the building with their pets without subjecting them to more time in the busy waiting room.
Established clients benefit from having their preferred payment options on hand. Set up recurring payments for items such as medications and prescription diets.
Remote Work for Administrative Tasks
More businesses allow employees to work from home at least part of the time. Although that’s impossible with many vet clinic employees, there is an opportunity to allow those charged with record-keeping to perform many tasks outside the clinic’s hustle and bustle. When those employees are on-site, they can focus on other tasks that are not affected by constant distractions. A remote employee can also manage administrative tasks, such as responding to social media messages or replying to emails.
Optimize Your Clinic Layout
Increased efficiency goes beyond software upgrades and staff training. Take a hard look at the layout of your clinic and determine what can be improved. That does not necessarily mean revamping the entire interior, which is impractical for many practices. Instead, focus on minimizing foot traffic for your staff and optimizing your space.
For instance, when possible, utilize vertical space. By moving equipment units off countertops and into stacking units, clutter is reduced, and staff have easier access. One of the best ways to lower patient stress levels is by having separate canine and feline waiting rooms. If a separate waiting room is not feasible, consider ways to create a barrier so that cat and dog waiting areas are clearly delineated.
Contact Us
Installing state-of-the-art equipment is essential for veterinary practice efficiency. The animal care experts at TriStarVet design and manufacture veterinary exam tables, professional grooming equipment, veterinary exam cabinets, and other innovative products for your vet clinic that are ergonomic, ultra-durable, and affordable. We also offer high-quality and affordable veterinary pet boarding products.