Newsletter - Winter 2021
Caring for Chronically Ill Pets
More practices are using their VCP platform to offer chronic illness plans to improve pet health and give pet parents the welcome predictability of monthly payments.
Chronic illness plans provide the same support and flexibility as with VCP’s preventive care plan capabilities. With chronic illness plans, veterinarians can cater to specific conditions they often encounter, such as with breeds prone to hyperthyroidism or diabetes and so on. The type of chronic illness plans can run the gamut, encompassing bundles of services that include, but aren’t limited to:
- Cushing’s disease
- Addison’s disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Kidney disease
- Hyperthyroidism
With many chronic illnesses, predicting when a pet will achieve a regulated state is a challenge. By drawing on VCP’s flexibility, doctors can design chronic illness plans to follow their recommended treatment protocols, then add optional products and services mid-plan to address flare-ups and other changes in a pet’s condition.
Doing so not only helps stabilize the pet, but also promotes your hospital’s value-added services, setting you apart from competitors while fostering loyalty. Beyond these advantages, a recent analysis in Today’s Veterinary Business suggests chronic illness plans can be profit centers for practices. For example, a chronic illness plan for a hyperthyroid patient was 17% more profitable than the same services delivered to a hyperthyroid patient that wasn’t enrolled in a chronic illness plan. Medications were included in the plan, thus preventing erosion of sales to online retailers and recapturing that revenue source for veterinarians.
Chronic illness plans can be a win for pet patients, pet parents, and practices, addressing the growing chronic care needs of pets. Contact your coach to learn more about building chronic illness plans at your practice.
5 Reasons to Reignite Your Wellness Program Now
Efficiency
Self-sign up allows clients to complete the enrollment process independently, saving staff time. Forward-booking of appointments cuts down on time spent scheduling appointments, while setting client expectations. You have the ability to schedule your wellness visits when it’s convenient for both the pet parent and the practice.
Revenue
The plans educate pet parents about the care their pets need, thereby increasing compliance. Petcare spending for pets on wellness is up to three times higher than spending on non-wellness pets. Plus, optional items add more than 20% to wellness spending.
Retention
Research shows pet parents are shopping around for veterinary care. Wellness plans can be a cornerstone of your strategy to keep those pet parents coming back to your practice – year after year. Rather than waiting to capture the business of these pet parents when times slow down, retain them now by enrolling pets in wellness plans to cultivate loyalty from the outset.
Loyalty
Wellness plans set the foundation for a lasting relationship with pets and pet parents. Pet parents appreciate the education, customization, and peace of mind provided by wellness plans. Plus, wellness plans allow you to add promotional items to further grow your offerings, promote the use of your services, and stand apart from competitors.
Subscription Economy
Now the largest generation of pet parents, Millennials have grown up on subscription services and monthly payment plans. They expect a subscription model and are not alone in this preference. These days, all generations enjoy membership programs and, for different reasons, expect budget-friendly payment methods. Wellness plans offer the predictable payments that today’s pet parents expect.
Today’s busy times won’t last forever. And busyness isn’t the same as cultivating the loyal client base that will sustain your practice when the current hectic pace wanes.
Need help getting your wellness plans back on track? Contact your coach for help.
New Practice Management Integrations Coming Next Year
Early next year, look for VCP’s integration with the practice management solutions AVImark, eVetPractice, and ImproMed. The coming integrations promise to equip today’s busy veterinarians with the technological tools and systems they need to streamline workflows, foster airtight bonds with pet parents, and deliver better business and healthcare outcomes.
Plans powered by VCP feature everything from preventative healthcare, dentistry, and chronic care services to boarding and grooming. Integrating the VCP platform with Covetrus’ robust practice management software will empower practices to tap into a seamless technological ecosystem to meet today’s challenges.
The latest data from the American Pet Products Association shows that 67% of American households own at least one pet. These pet parents, who spent more than $104 billion on their pets in 2020, aren’t shy about shopping around for the best experience at the vet.
For veterinarians looking to stand out from the competition, the integration of wellness into some of the nation’s leading practice management solutions will position practices to strengthen ties with pet parents — and improve clinical and business outcomes.
Curious about the coming integration? Subscribe to our podcast, VCP Talk, for updates from Sara Swenson, vice president of global practice management software at Covetrus. Find VCP Talk on your favorite podcast platform or stream it from our show page.
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