Recent innovations and technological opportunities give veterinary teams a wealth of resources to streamline operations and improve efficiency, freeing up time to focus on what we do best: caring for patients and helping clients. The important question is: are we taking full advantage of these opportunities? The results of a recent survey of veterinary practice owners by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provide important information.1
The state of technology use
Many practices use practice information management software (PIMS), electronic medical record software, and online pharmacies. Adoption has been slower for digital inventory management systems, online appointment scheduling and telehealth.1
Technology adoption rates also vary by practice type. For example, PIMS integrated communications software and online appointment scheduling are more common in companion animal practice than in mixed animal or equine practice.1 (Figure 1)
Explore the reasons for hesitation
To explore these findings further, the AVMA asked practice owners if they felt like they were keeping up or falling behind when it came to the use of technology in their practice. Overall, 69% of owners said they were keeping pace, 20% said they were falling behind, and the rest said they didn’t know.1
What reasons have been given to explain this delay? The most common reason was time constraints, followed by financial constraints and lack of interest.
How to overcome hesitation
Although these reasons must be recognized, they should not hold us back. Many digital tools are available to simplify or automate routine tasks and seamlessly integrate technology into daily practice. These tools provide solutions to specific problems teams may encounter and opportunities to meet customer requirements. Most, if not all, of these tools save more time in the long run than it takes to integrate them. And as artificial intelligence continues to be integrated into technology solutions, the potential for significant efficiency gains through responsible use of these capabilities is immense.
The good news is that you don’t have to fully implement every technology available right now to see results. In fact, a thoughtful, incremental approach can not only help overcome any hesitation or resistance within your team, but also pave the way for lasting rewards.
Here are some tips to get you started. If technology isn’t your thing, consider recruiting a tech enthusiast to your team to lead the charge.
Identify the types of digital tools or services your practice is currently lacking. You can use those previously mentioned in the practice owner survey as a reference.
Discuss with your team the problems and frictions they encounter in their daily roles and how they could be overcome.
Choose a tool that you believe will solve a problem or opportunity you have identified and would be the easiest or least expensive to implement. You’ll earn bonus points if the tool promises a quick win with potentially high impact, such as a ready-to-use online pharmacy or appointment booking platform or video conferencing software for telemedicine visits.
Ask the vendor to highlight what the tool can do, the steps involved in implementation, and any ongoing support to help with training, technical issues, and updates.
Ask about the cost as well as the potential savings in money and time you could expect from implementation. Several digital tools can significantly improve revenue streams or reduce costs and time, with only a minor financial commitment. For tools that facilitate customer communication, patient monitoring, or product sales, these benefits can be realized even if only a portion of customers benefit.
Start with a small pilot project to find out how you and your team like the tool and how it impacts a specific area of your practice. Often you can try things for minimal cost, and within a week or two you’ll know more about the technology than you could get from a vendor’s pitch. If you like what you see, you can gradually expand the application of the tool to minimize disruption.
Another great way to overcome hesitation is to learn about other practices’ experiences in implementing your chosen tool as well as the advice they have to offer, so that you don’t have to worry. no need to start from scratch.
Check out the new AVMA Axon Tech Talk webinar series (avma.org/Axon), which focuses on technology and how it can be used to improve practices, processes and productivity. Be sure to watch the “Online Ordering and Home Delivery” episode.2
Find tips and real-world case studies on putting telemedicine services into practice
at avma.org/Telehealth.
How to optimize usage
Firms that have already adopted digital technologies also offer growth opportunities. Often, the tools we already use have features that we haven’t yet discovered or used. Taking advantage of these features can provide a low-budget, high-impact boost.
For example, PIMS can be ideal for automating or facilitating a myriad of routine and often repetitive tasks. Are you taking advantage of all the features or are some going unused?
Although you can discover the full capabilities of a technology by reading the features available in marketing or educational materials, a quicker way might be to contact the vendor directly, for example, the PIMS Company Technology Support Team . Ask them to highlight what your practice could do with the tool.
Next, ask your team what they think about unused features and how those features might affect their work. (Learn how one firm did this, followed through, and reaped the rewards in the Tech Talk “Boosting Productivity” webinar.3)
The essentials
In today’s busy practices, technology is a necessity, not a luxury. Among the many benefits are higher quality patient care, happier customers, smoother operations and less stress on the team, not to mention financial gains. Indeed, research has shown that optimizing the efficiency of companion animal practice can allow veterinary teams to accomplish more and reach more patients with their current staff.4 For more ideas on how technology can be used to achieve these goals, be sure to check out the Just One Thing series on the AVMA@Work blog (avma.org/Blog), featuring practical tips for veterinary practices that can be achieved in 15 minutes or less.
REFERENCES
- Doherty C, McKay C, Ouedraogo FB. AVMA 2024 report on the economic situation of the veterinary profession. American Veterinary Medical Association. 2024. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://ebusiness.avma.org/ProductCatalog/product.aspx?ID=2157
- Doherty C, Hayworth R. AVMA Tech Talk: Online ordering and home delivery. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://axon.avma.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=285
- Doherty C, Boudreau L. AVMA Tech Talk: Increasing Productivity. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://axon.avma.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=319
- Ouédraogo FB, Weinstein P, Lefebvre SL. Increased efficiency could reduce the need for additional staff in companion animal practice. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2023;261(9):1357-1362. doi:10.2460/javma.23.03.0163