Episode 14 – Leveraging Technology to Transform Veterinary Practices

How Comparing Features Can Save Your Practice Time and Money

Choosing the right veterinary software is one of the most impactful decisions you’ll make for your practice. The right platform doesn’t just streamline your operations—it empowers your team, improves client satisfaction, and supports the long-term growth of your business. But to get there, you need to focus on what truly matters.

Core Features vs. Extra Features

When searching for veterinary software, it’s tempting to be drawn to platforms that promise an all-in-one solution with an endless array of features. Loyalty programs? Sounds nice. Integrated marketing tools? Why not? But here’s the catch: not all features are essential to your practice, and paying for extras you don’t need can quickly drain your budget and complicate your workflow.

The best way to avoid unnecessary costs and complexity is to focus on core features—the ones that directly address your most pressing challenges and streamline your daily operations. These core features include:

  • Patient Management: Tools to store and access medical records, track patient histories, and keep treatment plans organised.
  • Billing and Invoicing: A system that simplifies payments, creates invoices, and helps you stay on top of accounts.
  • Appointment Scheduling: Scheduling tools that make it easy to book appointments, send reminders, and manage your calendar.
  • Inventory Tracking: Features that monitor stock levels, alert you to low supplies, and streamline ordering.

While those are generally required features for veterinary software, your practice might have different needs. So, before you start comparing options, take a few moments to reflect on your practice’s needs. Where are you losing time? Where could workflows be more efficient? These questions will help you create a priority list of essential features.

Customisation and Flexibility

Imagine this: you’ve just invested in new veterinary software that promises to streamline your operations. But as soon as you start using it, you realise the templates don’t fit your standard patient records, the workflows don’t align with how your team operates, and there’s no way to adjust the settings to better suit your practice. Now, instead of saving time, you’re spending even more of it on workarounds—copying and pasting data, manually editing forms, or creating external spreadsheets to fill gaps in the system.

This lack of flexibility leads to:

  • Wasted Time: Manual workarounds take time away from patient care and other essential tasks.
  • Frustrated Staff: Your team may struggle to adapt to workflows that don’t align with how they’re used to working.
  • Decreased Productivity: When the software doesn’t fit your needs, it can actually slow down your operations instead of improving them.

Overcoming Flexibility Issues with Customisation

Customisation is the key to ensuring your software works for your practice, not the other way around. Platforms that offer customisation options allow you to tailor the system to match your workflows, save time, and reduce frustration. Here’s what to look for:

  • Customisable Templates: Whether it’s patient records, invoices, or treatment plans, the ability to modify templates ensures the software aligns with your practice’s specific documentation needs.
  • Flexible Workflows: Look for software that lets you adjust workflows and settings to match how your team operates. This can include automating repetitive tasks, personalising reminders, or setting up default protocols.
  • Adjustable User Settings: Custom user permissions and role-specific settings ensure that each team member gets the tools they need without cluttering their interface with unnecessary options.

Testing Customisation During Demos

Here’s a practical step to take when evaluating software: ask vendors about their customisation capabilities and test them during demos or trial periods. To do this, always ask the following questions before buying software:

  • “Can I create custom templates for patient records or invoices?”
  • “Can workflows be tailored to match how my team operates?”
  • “Are there user-specific settings to simplify the experience for individual staff members?”

Don’t just take their word for it—try it out yourself during a free trial. For instance, try customising a patient record template or setting up an automated appointment reminder. If the software makes these adjustments easy, it’s a good sign it will save you time in the long run.

Integration with Other Tools

Running a veterinary practice often means juggling multiple systems. You might use one tool for patient records, another for accounting, and yet another for inventory management. While each system might get the job done on its own, switching between disconnected apps can lead to wasted time, duplicate data entry, and costly errors. Efficient software can either act as a hub for your other tools or integrate with the software you currently use as a hub for your other tools.

Disparate Systems Cause Inefficiencies

When your tools don’t talk to each other, it becomes your team’s job to bridge the gap. That often means manually transferring data between systems or jumping between multiple platforms to complete basic tasks. Over time, this can lead to:

  • Wasted Time: Double data entry or switching between systems slows down your team and takes time away from patient care.
  • Increased Errors: Manually transferring information increases the risk of data entry mistakes, which can lead to billing issues, inventory discrepancies, or even treatment errors.
  • Fragmented Processes: When your systems aren’t connected, your team can’t access the full picture—whether it’s patient histories, financial reports, or supply levels.

For example, if your inventory management system doesn’t integrate with your patient records software, tracking medication usage for individual patients becomes significantly harder. The same is true if your billing system doesn’t sync with your appointment scheduler—leading to missed payments or disorganised finances.

Creating an Integrated Ecosystem for Veterinary Software

Integration consolidates your processes, reduces manual work, and gives your team a clearer view of your operations. Here’s what to look for when assessing the integration capabilities of a tool:

  • Electronic Health Records (EHR) Integration: Ensure your chosen software integrates with EHR systems so patient data is always accessible and up-to-date.
  • Accounting Software Compatibility: Look for platforms that sync with popular accounting tools like QuickBooks or Xero to simplify billing and financial management.
  • Inventory Management Connections: The ability to link your software with inventory systems ensures accurate stock tracking and automatic updates when supplies are used or reordered.
  • Communication Tools: Integration with email or SMS tools allows for automated appointment reminders, follow-ups, and client communications without extra effort.

Always ask vendors to show you how integrations work. Then, whether it’s during a demo or trial period, take time to test how their platform handles integrations with the tools you already rely on.

Long-Term Value Over Short-Term Cost

It’s natural to want to save money, but choosing software based solely on its initial price can lead to unexpected expenses later. For example, a small clinic that chooses the cheapest software might find it works fine in the beginning. But as they add more staff, increase their client base, or expand services, they may discover the software can’t handle the extra load—leading to costly downtime or a complete switch to a new platform. Either way, they’ll be hit with a high cost that could have been avoided by choosing a higher-quality software initially.

So, instead of evaluating software based on the initial cost, look at the long-term value of the software. This doesn’t mean you have to choose the most expensive option on the market—it means looking for a solution that’s built to last and offers a return on investment over time. Software that offers long-term value always offers a few key aspects, including:

  • Scalability: Choose software that can grow with your practice, whether that means adding more users, handling multi-location management, or supporting new services. Embracing cloud technology can improve scalability.
  • Included Features: Look for platforms that include the essential tools you’ll need now and in the future, without requiring constant add-ons or upgrades.
  • Regular Updates: Does the vendor provide regular software updates to improve functionality and security? A platform that evolves with industry changes will save you money over time.
  • Support and Training: Reliable customer support and thorough training resources can save you time and frustration, especially during onboarding or troubleshooting.

When evaluating software, ask yourself: What will my practice look like in 3, 5, or even 10 years? This long-term perspective can help you choose a solution that supports your goals.

Conclusion

By taking the time to evaluate your options with these principles in mind, you’ll set your practice up for success—not just today, but for years to come. Whether you’re running a small clinic or managing multiple locations, the right software should feel like a partner in your practice, not just another tool.

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