Are You Ready to Improve Your Processes with a Third-Party Triage Service?
As the demand for veterinary services increases throughout the UK, it can be challenging for practices to keep up with the influx of patients while still providing excellent care. But, third-party triage services can help. They can help a veterinary practice struggling to keep up with day-to-day patients improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations. So, this blog gives you everything you need to know to start leveraging third-party triage services.
What is a Third-Party Triage Service?
A third-party triage service refers to a contracted company assisting in the process of directing patients to the appropriate level of care within the clinic. Typically, the contracted company answers phone calls from your patients or responds through an online platform. During the conversations with your client, a trained professional assesses the patient’s condition and guides them on the best course of action. This could include scheduling an appointment, providing advice on home care, or directing the patient to seek emergency care.
The goal of a third-party triage service is to help veterinary clinics manage the flow of patients more efficiently and effectively. It allows for better patient outcomes and improved overall operations. It also helps to reduce the load on the clinic’s staff and veterinarians, allowing them to focus on providing high-quality care for the patients who need it most.
Benefits of Using a Third-Party Triage Service
Third-party triage services can provide a variety of benefits that can help to streamline the operations of a clinic, allowing for more efficient and effective patient care.
Time Savings
One of the most significant benefits of using a third-party triage service is the time savings it can provide for a veterinary practice. These services can help to streamline the operations of a clinic, allowing for more efficient and effective patient care, and ultimately, saving time for both staff and veterinarians.
By having a trained professional handle the initial patient triage, the clinic’s staff and veterinarians can focus on providing high-quality care for the patients who need it most, helping to reduce the load on practice staff.
On average, veterinary practices using a third-party triage service can save 90 minutes per day. This time savings can be used to schedule additional appointments, provide more individualized care, or complete other important tasks. Additionally, third-party triage services can help to reduce the number of no-shows and last-minute cancellations, which can also contribute to further time savings for the clinic.
Client Satisfaction
With the use of a third-party triage service, patients can book appointments or receive guidance on their pet’s health at their convenience and without having to go anywhere. Most third-party triage services offer 24/7 availability, meaning patients can reach out for help at any time, regardless of the clinic’s regular working hours.
They also provide a rapid response to patient inquiries, which can help to alleviate concerns and provide peace of mind. This can be especially beneficial in emergencies where a rapid response can be critical.
Furthermore, third-party triage services can help to reduce unnecessary vet visits, by providing guidance on home care or directing patients to the appropriate level of care. This can benefit both the patient and the clinic, as it can save time and money for both parties, as well as improve the overall patient experience.
Patient Experience
Third-party triage services allow practices to conduct consultations at the animal’s home. By conducting consultations at the animal’s home, third-party triage services can provide a more comfortable and less stressful experience for both the animal and their owner. This especially benefits animals that experience difficulty traveling, such as those with mobility issues or anxiety.
Conducting consultations at the animal’s home also helps to provide a more accurate assessment of the animal’s condition. The veterinarian can observe the animal in their natural environment allowing them to come up with a more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Better Prepared
By providing guidance and information over the phone or through an online platform, third-party triage services can help to set expectations for clients before a vet visit. This prepares clients for the visit and ensures that they bring all necessary information and documents.
In the same way third-party triage services prepare patients, it also helps veterinary teams stay prepared. After a patient books with the veterinary practice, the third-party triage service provides the veterinary team with a full record of the interactions. With these records, the veterinary team knows exactly what to expect when the patient arrives. These services can also help gather the animal’s medical history and any symptoms or concerns the owner reported.
Profitability
Finally, a third-party triage service can increase profitability by improving client satisfaction and promoting repeat customers. With a more efficient and effective triage process, third-party triage services can help to reduce wait times and provide a more personalized experience for patients. This can lead to higher levels of satisfaction, which can promote repeat customers and increase revenue.
Providing guidance and information over the phone or through an online platform helps set expectations for clients before a vet visit. These expectations help reduce the number of no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
Where Can You Use a Third-Party Triage Service?
Now that you understand the benefits of a third-party triage service, here are a few ways you can put these services to use at your practice.
One common use involves handling general questions or providing out-of-hours support for patients.
This can include:
- Answering questions about appointments
- Providing advice on home care
- Directing patients to seek emergency care
Another way a veterinary practice can use a third-party triage service is for post-operative follow-up. Post-op care provided by a third-party triage service can include:
- Guiding at-home care
- Answering questions about the recovery process
- Scheduling follow-up appointments
With a wide variety of uses and significant benefits for veterinary practices aiming to improve their processes, third-party triage services can help you gain a competitive edge.
