The top three tips you need to know about veterinary practice software

Computers can be a pain in the rear end sometimes, but your veterinary practice software shouldn't be causing you distress. It's built to make your hospital more efficient, and to make life easier for you, your clients and your patients. CVC educators Jeremy Keen, DVM, Garret Pachtinger, VMD, DACVECC, and Kathryn Primm, DVM, all practice software experts, share a few ways you can fall in love again with your practice software. (Hint! It's by making it easier and more useful to you.)

Alert! Use your alert system for good

Dr. Keen says his favorite thing about practice software is the alert feature.

“When people think of the word ‘alert,' it's in a negative context,” Dr. Keen says, “but that's not what I use it for.”

In the video below, he goes on to explain that, yes, you can use the alerts to warn team members of problems with patients-but don't forget to tell your colleagues what worked well with clients. Does Tibby the kitten like to be wrapped in a warm towel? Is Moby super-motivated by treats? Write down those notes as “alerts” and save your team members-and your future self-the trouble.

Get it together and create templates

Dr. Pachtinger recommends for efficiency creating templates, no matter the practice management software you use.

“I want to be efficient,” Dr. Pachtinger says. “I don't want to have to type the same thing from scratch each and every time I see a blocked cat that comes into the hospital.”

While time is of the essence any given day in a veterinary practice, a template will not only save time but will help you make sure you're being as complete as possible. Watch him talk more about it below.

Hold yourself accountable

Dr. Primm says she uses her practice software system as a sort of “in-house lab,” but instead of keeping tabs on a patient's health, the practice management software helps to determine the health of the practice. In other words, it's a way to stay accountable and keep track of potential issues that could be hurting your practice.

“I noticed that our new-client numbers weren't where I wanted them to be,” Dr. Primm says, “so we pulled everything and looked to see what might have changed for that month.”

Dr. Primm found the reason in her practice software-as well as a way to fix it.

“I don't know why you wouldn't be using it,” she says, “I love it. It gives me a sense of instant gratification when things are going good and gives a plan [of action] when they're not. I don't know why anybody wouldn't look at them-in fact, I probably look at them too much.”

Watch her talk more about it below: