Technology can play a significant role in your veterinary practice’s daily operations and long-term success. However, it’s best to take a measured approach to integrating new technologies. When considering any service or piece of high-tech equipment, consider the problems or issues it could solve and the benefits it could offer to your practice, the animals in your care, or your staff.
Multi-Functional PIMS for Streamlining Daily Operations
Since veterinarians began using electronic health records decades ago, Practice Information Management Systems (PIMS) have evolved significantly, offering more advanced features and greater efficiency. PIMS has become multi-functional, providing enhanced recordkeeping and ways to improve operational efficiency, client satisfaction, patient outcomes, and veterinary team engagement.
For example, many PIMS offer features beyond electronic health records, such as:
- Inventory tracking
- Appointment scheduling
- Invoicing and accounting
- Payment processing
- Pharmaceutical ordering
- Client dashboards or portals
- Analytics tools
- Financial reporting
- Internal communication
If it’s been a while since you upgraded your PIMS, it’s worth exploring other options and considering how it might better serve your practice.
High-Tech Diagnostics for More Accurate Results
Providing quality care to your patients starts with identifying their specific health issues. Diagnostic lab equipment has become more cost-effective, allowing even smaller veterinary practices to acquire and maintain it.
One significant advancement in diagnostic technology is digital radiography. Thanks to digital X-rays, vets can instantly view and enlarge images on a screen, enhancing accuracy. In addition, the ability to manipulate these images translates to fewer retakes, which means pets are exposed to less radiation.
Online Pharmaceutical Services for a Revenue Boost
Busy pet owners appreciate efficiency and convenience, so vet practices offering online pharmaceutical services may experience better client satisfaction rates. In addition, with a practice-associated online pharmacy, you can support your practice by capturing revenue that would otherwise be directed to major online retailers.
Third-party vendors allow vet practices to easily set up their own virtual pharmacy storefront or prescription management portal. Since the pharmacy is directly integrated into the vet clinic, it doesn’t require additional resources to approve and process prescription requests.
3D Printing for Innovative Services That Improve Patient Outcomes
Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, isn’t widely used in veterinary practices. However, the potential applications are so diverse that this may change in the future. Your practice could use this innovative technology to offer services that other vets in your area cannot.
There are many applications to consider, such as the ability to print prosthetic legs for dogs and cats (or prosthetic beaks for birds). Other items that can be 3D printed include scaffolds for bone replacement and tissue engineering, surgical incision guides, and customized surgical instruments. All of these items can be made with medical-grade materials.
It might seem like the learning curve is a bit too steep to adapt 3D printing into your practice. However, you don’t need to learn how to use a 3D printer or purchase one for your clinic. Multiple companies partner with veterinarians in designing and printing custom-made products.
Wearable Health Technologies to Improve Delivery of Care
Many humans enjoy wearable health trackers, like fitness trackers and smartwatches, and now pets can, too. The emerging technology of pet wearables offers exciting possibilities for acquiring real-time health data—data that is accessible both to the vet and to the pet owner.
With wearable collars and other trackers, vets and pet owners can team up to monitor pets’ temperature, blood glucose, activity level, heart rate, respiration, and other metrics. This technology cannot replace a thorough, in-person examination and imaging diagnostics, but it does complement the delivery of care and can aid vets in decision-making.
Contact Us Today About Your Veterinary Practice
At TriStar Vet, we carefully design all our veterinary pet boarding products with heavy-duty, high-gauge stainless steel. Our fully welded products—from our exam tables to our veterinary exam cabinets—are easy to clean and will last for years. Contact us today to discuss upgrading your veterinary practice with superior, USA-made equipment.