Give clients a handout to boost patient wellness

We've developed a handy patient wellness report to promote our practice's wellness program. We give this handout to clients in the exam room prior to the doctor's arrival for all wellness exams. The form is on a folded 8.5-by-11-inch sheet of paper. Here's the format:

Front: The cover includes information about the exam, basic medical information, and due dates for follow-up vaccinations or exams. We also include recommendations for annual wellness diagnostics, fecal testing, heartworm prevention, and flea and tick prevention. Many clients request additional services and products during their visit after seeing this information.

Center: Inside, the pet's oral report includes a picture of a healthy canine or feline mouth and the different grades of dental disease. The doctor grades the patient's mouth and notes the grade on the report, as well as in the medical file.

Back: The back contains a health report that the doctor fills out during the appointment. This report outlines everything the doctor checked and whether those organs were normal or abnormal, as well as treatment recommendations for any abnormalities. There is also a space for specific notes from the doctor.

The handout has been a great tool for educating our clients and promoting our wellness program.

—Denise Bauer, client relations supervisor; Pend Oreille Veterinary Sservice; Ponderay, Iidaho