Dermatology dilemmas: Talk them through with veterinary clients

When it comes to dermatology issues, you’ve probably heard pet owners say, “Can’t you just give him a shot?” Unfortunately, solutions to pets’ skin problems are rarely quick and easy—just look at the data below. Lucky for you, we have a whole package of tools to help educate pet owners and train your team about these tough dermatology issues. Check out dvm360.com/dermatologytoolkit to get started today.

Click here to learn how to help clients pay for ongoing dermatology treatments.

“Whoa, Doc, I can’t afford that!”

Many skin conditions in pets are chronic—which can mean ongoing and expensive treatments. This is why it’s crucial to have payment options ready, says Gary Glassman, CPA, a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member, and partner with Burzenski & Co. in East Haven, Conn.

You can go the internal payment route and make the payment arrangements within the walls of your practice, he says. However, only offer this opportunity to your most trusted veterinary clients, Glassman says.

A safer route might be to offer third-party payment plans to clients. There are many companies that will extend credit on behalf of the client in order to make these treatment payments affordable, Glassman says.

“Veterinarians need to make an informed decision about which companies they would want to offer and what the associated costs are because they’re not all the same,” Glassman says. “Some parties offer credit cards and revolving credit opportunities. Others have come into the market recently and set up payment arrangements where the money is withdrawn from the client’s bank account through an Electronic Funds Transfer.”

Whichever payment option you decide to offer, one thing is certain: Don’t shy away from any opportunity to provide important patient care to veterinary clients because you don’t think they can afford it, Glassman says.