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      3 Technology Solutions to Help Your Clinic Practice Social Distancing


      Over the past few weeks, we have seen veterinary clinics practice social distancing in an impressive variety of ways. Some clinics are using painters’ tape and floor signs to demarcate six-foot distances. Many are asking clients to wait in their vehicles while their pet is examined inside. Others have launched virtual visits, which take place over video chat systems such as Skype or Zoom. No matter which option you employ, one thing is clear: we’re all committed to flattening the curve and to getting through this together.

      Our territory managers, located throughout the country, and the team at the helm of the Patterson Technology Center, our home base for customer service calls, emails and chats, have curated three technology-based ideas that can help any veterinary clinic execute social distancing. Any of these solutions can help you better serve your clients in a climate of rapid change – it’s all about finding what works best for your business!

       

       

      1. Group communication for rapidly evolving changes.

      The PTC has found that e-newsletter templates in ePET are helping practices draft quick, richly informative protocols and news. In fact, over the first three weeks of March, more than 3 million newsletters were sent.

      Specifically, we saw in February 274 practices sent 650,413 e-newsletters. But in March, 1,178 practices sent 3,019,488 e-newsletters!

      There are currently 77 pre-made templates to choose from and custom newsletter templates are shown with an asterisk in front of the name. A video tutorial about sending the e-newsletter is available to jumpstart the process HERE. Once you queue up your newsletter by clicking Send Emails, it will be sent to your clients within an hour or two.

      We have also seen practices using custom email reminders for health services and appointments. This feature lets you continue to send their clients normal reminders with the added benefit of any changes at your practice that the clients need to be made aware of – an adjustment in protocol or a change of hours, for example.

       

       

      2. A virtual reception area from your appointment calendar.

      Using the practice management software you already have, connect your appointment calendar with Client HQ Smart Calendar. You can send texts directly to your scheduled clients, letting clients know when you’re ready for their pet as they wait in their car. This is a relatively new piece of smart technology that can be up and running quickly:

      • Create or log into a Market Hound account.
      • Fill out the enrollment form found on the Client HQ tile.
      • A PTC support representative will be in touch within the same business day to complete your enrollment and cover a quick training.
      • Start using the program!

       

       

      3. An online pharmacy for home delivery.

      While many practices have used home delivery for prescriptions and prescription food for clients who are, for example, snowbirds, we are finding more are using home delivery today for clients who are quarantined. With Vetsource virtual pharmacy, you can write and fill prescriptions digitally and orders are shipped directly to client homes. The process takes a number of days, as Vetsource must verify veterinarian licenses and DEA information. Then your pharmacy is up and running.

       

      We will be sharing more ideas from our territory managers and the PTC in the days to come. Stay safe and reach out anytime for help!
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