We all strive to have busy veterinary practices. But what kind of busy? Generally, there are two kinds of “being busy.” There’s the “good busy” – with many clients, full schedules, and streamlined workflows. That’s the kind of busy where you may feel tired at the end of the day, but you also feel productive and satisfied, knowing you accomplished what is necessary.

And then there’s the “bad busy” – where everything is so hectic and inefficient with processes and busywork, you don’t have time to finish your most important tasks or take care of everyone on the schedule appropriately. It’s the kind of busy where you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and disappointed at the end of the day.

With these two distinct types of busy, the real question is – what can we do to capitalize on the good busy and minimize the bad one? And the answer often lies in technology. More efficient use of veterinary software and technology helps to manage the busywork and eliminate the inefficiencies, leaving more time to focus on the work that actually needs to get done. Simply put, veterinary practice management software not only speeds up workflows, but also frees up staff to better care for clients and patients.

Here are five ways to eliminate the busywork by making better use of technology:

​

1. Automate Online Appointment Bookings

Many services offer online appointment bookings to increase efficiency, but they can be misleading and ironically, even waste time. Having clients request appointments through the website doesn’t truly save any time if a staff member has to call them back, leave a message, play phone tag, confirm availability, and book the appointment on the calendar. Rather, true efficiency is the ability to offer up-to-date available time slots online for a client to select the preferred time. Then, the appointment automatically shows up in your calendar and is confirmed with the client in a seamless process.

2. Use Digital Forms

Does anyone really love all the paperwork involved with onboarding a new client? We don’t think so! Clients find it cumbersome and time-consuming (and they’re not wrong) and staff members tend to agree. So, why print, sign, scan, and upload when you can use an online form to capture information and signatures electronically? Better yet, you can have those forms automatically uploaded to your practice management software.

Not only is that a huge time saver for everyone involved, but it also demonstrates that your practice is current and cutting edge, which makes a huge impact (especially with millennial pet owners). This can also work with estimates, allowing clients to approve recommended procedures or treatments on the spot, with a digital paper trail to prove it. Kiss the printer goodbye and say hello to newfound time!

3. Automate Client Communications – with a Personal Touch

Automated reminders free up staff time and decrease no-shows, especially when you communicate with clients based on their preferred communication method, whether it’s text, email, or phone call. But to really save time, you could automate these communications with reminders, as needed. Software can even store client preferences, so that their preferred method of communication (texts, emails, or calls) is used, eliminating the need for staff to go through records, locate preferences, and manually send reminders.

4. Automate Online Reviews

It’s no surprise—with more information online than ever before, pet owners are turning to online reviews to assist them in selecting the right veterinary practice. To fill this need, some software programs offer a reputation management solution directly within the software or through an integration. Veterinarians can send unlimited surveys tailored to each specific type of client, post any positive feedback on their websites, and encourage clients to post positive reviews on public review sites such as Google and Facebook. This all happens automatically in the background after every appointment, saving an enormous amount of time and sparking growth by attracting new clients.

5. Use Online Bill Pay

What happens when clients get backed up at checkout? They get frustrated. Then staff members get frustrated. Then everyone is stressed out. Clients checking in are ignored, causing even more frustration, and mistakes occur more frequently.

But what happens when clients have other options for payments, such as a 24/7 online option? In those instances, you can send clients a text with a link to the online bill and they can pay on a tablet or phone from anywhere, including the exam room. Payments automatically hit your bank account and reconcile with your software. No more lines – no more frustration!

While these are five great tips on how using technology can help you be less “bad busy,” they may not save you much time if you have to coordinate and work with five different services to set everything up. So, what’s the ultimate time-saver? One-stop shopping, of course!

The new NaVetor and Vet Hero integration is exactly that – a one-stop shop that provides all of these time-saving solutions and benefits. Learn more about these capabilities, and if it sounds like the right fit for your practice, try it free for 30 days.