Life is hectic inside a busy veterinary practice. We need all the help we can get to make that life just a little bit easier and more efficient — and digital tools can do just that. Not only do they save time by eliminating cumbersome and time-consuming steps, but sometimes they’re just plain fun to use! 

Your software likely has several of these little-known tools that simplify the process of updating and maintaining accurate medical records, an important part of a successful practice. The best part? They’re fun!

1. Integrated Telemedicine

Telemedicine appointments have grown since the outbreak of COVID-19, and the industry has adopted telemedicine as a valid appointment channel for certain types of visits. Some veterinary practices have opted to pay extra for separate telemedicine platforms, whereas others have chosen to use the telemedicine capability that comes with their practice management software (if it is available). Regardless of which option you choose, it should be seamless and easy to schedule and launch a telemedicine appointment from your appointment calendar.

With NaVetor, telemedicine capabilities are built  into the software, so there’s no need to pay extra for a separate telemedicine service. When creating an appointment, a telehealth link can be automatically sent to your client, and when it’s time to call into the appointment, you can use the same link, which has been populated right in the calendar invite. 

If you need to document conditions visually during the telemedicine appointment, you can easily take a screenshot. Use a snipping tool or the PRTSCR button (Print Screen on PC) or Shift/Command/4 (image capture on a Mac) to capture an image. Then, simply upload the screenshot as you would an in-office appointment photo or other image, right into the pet’s health record. Easy! 

2. PACS Integrations

PACS integrations make it easy to store and evaluate scans, right from your practice management software, saving valuable steps. The Asteris Omni PACS now directly integrates with NaVetor software, eliminating barriers to important decision making. With this integration, there is no need to toggle back and forth between radiology images on one browser tab and the pet’s health record on another. When you take scans of a patient’s condition and need to access and/or review them, simply click on the Asteris Viewer within NaVetor, where you’ll find that the radiology images have been automatically pulled up in the Radiology Worklist. To add to the convenience, you can do this from any device, anywhere, and at any time.

3. Animal Images for Annotations

While patient photos and scans are great to use, there are times when you may need actual photos or illustrations of animals to help with annotations in a pet’s health record. Rather than spending time searching through stock images, consider using Patterson’s Diagnostic Image Atlas (DIA), which integrates with NaVetor cloud software.

DIA contains a large selection of animal images from which to choose, providing more consistent availability of images that are commonly used by veterinarians compared with stock photos. In DIA, you’ll find interactive images, animations, illustrations, and short videos that are far more convenient and easier to use than stock images. Simply grab the image you need, use the snipping tool to capture it, save it separately, and then annotate, as needed, to capture the animal’s condition and complete the medical record. To annotate, bring the image into the medical record, and then click on it to edit right within NaVetor.

For those of you looking for a little extra help with using screen captures or snipping tools, a quick Google search will show you some free tools that are available, as well as some brief instructions on how to use them (as always, watch for the fine print when downloading apps).

At NaVetor, we believe technology should be helpful, efficient, and fun to use! If you agree, request a demo today.