When I had my clinic in 2006 I started with paper notes. We’ve advanced a lot since then, and are lucky enough to have a vast array of software at our disposal to make life easier. The benefit of good software is that it saves you time, prevents you from losing information, is accessible on the road (great for mobile Vetrehabbers) and helps you stay organised.
Whoopee! No more filing!
However, when it comes to software, one size does not fit all. You need to look at what your needs are and find a software that works for you. Your choice will depend on what treatments you do, whether you are mobile or brick and mortar, whether you do hydrotherapy and whether or not you need to integrate your software with other software you’re currently using, such as accounting software.
What does your vet rehab practice need from software?
After doing a bit of research, I created a list of questions we should be asking when choosing software for our practices.
Is it cloud-based?
This is important because if information is stored in the cloud, you can log in from any device to access your notes and information. If it’s not cloud-based, you can use the software on only one device, or have a dedicated server. For us, I think this issue is important. It needs to be cloud-based.
The cloud gives us a level of security; information on the cloud cannot be lost. You may lose your computer, but you will never lose your data. If you are not using cloud-based software, it is really important that you back up daily so that should something happen to your device (a virus, it gets stolen) you will have access to most of the content.
If it’s not cloud-based, the only benefit is that you don’t need an internet connection to run it.
Does it have an app?
An app is useful for the mobile Vetrehabber, as you can use it on your phone while out or on an iPad in a clinic. Having to log in on an internet browser is a little more cumbersome. For me, this aspect is not a deal breaker, but nice to have. This is especially true if the software you use is well adapted for mobile and iPad use.
I recently learned a really cool tip on how to add an icon to your home screen on your phone. With an icon linked to a URL, you can easily log in to your software without an app. It’ll be even quicker if you enable face recognition.
Here’s how to do it:
On an Android device
- Go into Chrome on your phone and enter the URL you want to go to.
- Click the three dots on the top right of the screen.
- Click on Add to Home screen from the drop down
- Click add and amend the name accordingly.
Adding the URL shortcut to an Android device
On an Apple Device
- Go into chrome on your phone and enter the URL you want to go to
- Click the button indicating open arrow through a page (see red arrow on diagram)
- Click add to Home screen
Adding the URL shortcut to an iPhone
Does it invoice?
This aspect is important if you don’t already have accounting software that invoices for you. I like the idea of having everything in one place. Trying to integrate software is tricky and mistakes can happen. Also, having a single software is better when you’re speaking to a client and want to see everything about them right there on one screen.
Can it integrate with payment gateways?
This one really depends on how your practice accepts payment. There are so many different payment methods around the world, making it tricky to offer streamlined advice here. The best way to find out which payment method is best for you is to see which are compatible with the software you have chosen. Examples are Xero, Square, PayPal, Stripe and Apple Pay.
Can it take notes and can you annotate the diagrams?
Can you add your session notes directly to the software? Additionally, can you customise the fields shown on your session report in a way that matches the flow and process of your evaluation and treatment? Try and look for a software that is very simple in terms of the fields that are available, and allows you to customise your session notes.
Does the software have anatomically correct animal diagrams? Can you load your own diagrams or pictures of patients? Can you annotate on an uploaded picture of an individual patient? Having anatomically correct diagrams available can make your session reporting much clearer and more comprehensive to your clients. Being able to upload your own diagrams and patient images that can be annotated is even better.
Does the software create reports to send to the referral vet?
This one is huge for me. Vet reports take up a lot of our time, and we know how important they are for our referral relationships. (In other words, you must do them!). So if there is any software that can help me do a report, that’s the one I am going to get. Even better if we can send a report to other members of the multi-disciplinary team. In a software, look for the ability to add professional contacts, assign specific professional contacts to a patient, and to generate a session report and email it to those professionals.
This brings me to an important point: When we’re considering software, we need to be aware of what our time is worth. If we charge $80 for an hour’s consult, that means our time per minute is worth $1 and 33 cents. If software saves me thirty minutes a week, that’s $172 a month. Compare that to the monthly cost of the software – probably around $50 a month. It’s a no-brainer. The software is worth it!
Can it be used to book appointments?
This is a nice-to-have, and there are all sorts of software options that may be used separately for this. However, it’s a bonus to have all bookings in one place. Some therapists like to book their own appointments, but doing so takes time. Some software will allow the operator, but not the client, to book. Some Vetrehabbers offer the first consultation online, and then book follow-ups on behalf of the client. Some software allows clients to make bookings themselves. You need to see what works best for you.
Does it have a schedule?
We all like to be organised, and it’s great to have software that will both book appointments and create a schedule. It’s great to see at one glance what our week ahead looks like.
Does it include exercise prescription?
Many of the latest software options for Vetrehabbers started as exercise prescription platforms, including videos of different exercises with owner-friendly explanations. While some of these platforms have expanded to include scheduling, invoicing and reporting capabilities, not all of them do. Again, it is simplest to us when we can use one software for all of our needs, instead of trying to integrate 2 or 3 different software to allow us to offer our clients exceptional service and run our businesses efficiently.
Think long term
So, there is a lot to think about. Read through the points above and circle the features that are important to you. I also encourage you to think about where you are going with your practice; in other words, setting your clinic up for growth.
If you plan to grow and expand, will your software accommodate the expansion? It’s not worth using software that works now but will be outgrown in one year. Also, it might be cost-effective now, because software costs are calculated per user, but as you add team members, the price may well become exorbitant.
Moving from one software to another is an absolute pain, and sometimes not that easy (😉 They make it that way on purpose.) So rather go for the software that can accommodate your growth, even if it’s a little more expensive.
Think value for money, not cost
When choosing software, we often look at the price and think, ‘That’s way too expensive!’ I want you to look at it another way. Getting great software can save you loads of time. I mentioned this earlier when discussing the value of our time per minute.
How much time are you spending on your admin, and could your software help? Would that expensive software you’re afraid of committing to save you the cost of an entire admin person? Or perhaps the software will save your admin person loads of time and you would only need to pay them for two hours a week instead of four. We need to think about all of this.
The value of simplifying the process
Is it going to make your life easier? What is that worth to you? Our practices can be really busy, and by making things simpler, software can get us working more efficiently and cost-effectively. We may also have more time and energy to provide our clients with a better customer experience – and our customers’ experience is vital for the growth of our practice. When clients have a great customer experience, they refer friends and colleagues. Who would have thought the type of software you choose could affect your word of mouth? And yet this is what it comes down to.
You want to reduce friction in your practice wherever you can, for you and your systems, and also for your clients. Online booking systems, SMS reminders, streamlined invoicing and an easy payment system are all potential areas where you can excel in giving customers a great, easy, friendly, and streamlined experience.
The most important thing is that the software needs to make your practice better. It needs to be better for you, for your team and for your clients, giving them a better customer experience. When you get the right software for you, it will be worth the expense.
You also need to accept that you may never get the perfect software – some compromise is almost inevitable. Decide what your priorities are in terms of time and effort saved, and make a choice that is best tailored to your practice.
The Six Software Options Created for Vet Rehab Therapists
These 6 business software options are designed specifically for veterinary rehabilitation therapists:
Others that may suit you but are designed for either human or veterinary practices include:
For note taking only
For exercise prescription only:
Let’s compare the features of each of the 6 software’s that are created specifically for veterinary rehabilitation practices:
Having identified the 6 software’s that have been specifically developed for Vetrehabbers, we signed up to all the trials and spent some time testing out each one. Our goal was to identify which one would be best for mobile Vetrehabbers, which would be best for brick and mortar practices, and which software was best overall. Below, I will share our thoughts as a team on each of these areas. However, they were very comparable and at the end of the day our favourites differed among the team according to personal preference!
If you are mobile, consider these
First, I suggest you invest in an iPad that can carry a sim card, and an air pencil. That way you are not limited by internet receptivity and can work both on and offline. Of all the people in your team, you are the one with the least time for admin, so the more time you can save, the better.
For mobile Vetrehabbers, consider Equipro Connect, Equigate, Equicantis or Cavanti.
Initially, I loved that Cavanti allowed me to take session notes offline which is a great feature when on the road. It is set up for both canine and equine patients, but it takes some time to customise the session fields and the process felt overwhelming to me. I also couldn’t add patient pictures or videos to the application, which was a limitation. While Cavanti comes in at the lowest starting price point, their use of slush was another component of the application that I found confusing.
Equipro connect has a lovely interface, but struggled to integrate with South Africa in terms of invoicing, payments and more – this became a limitation quickly and may be a problem in other parts of the world as well. Session notes are taken by ticking boxes in dropdown menu’s. This can be a real time saver, or it can take more time than typing up your session notes. Your preference will come into play here. It is also limited to equine patients.
Equigate ticks all the boxes and is completely app-bound. While their interface is easy to use, I did not like that all communication with my clients came from Equigate instead of from me and my business. I loved that my own diagrams could be added, and that images and videos could be saved to patient profiles. All client communication can be limited to the app, which holds multiple advantages.
Equicantis comes in at a great price point and ticks many of the boxes. With integrated exercise prescription software, an easy to use interface and simple note-taking capabilities together with simple, clear generated session reports and an ease of sending reports to other members of the multi-disciplinary team, this was a great software. The biggest drawback was that it could not generate invoices, although I am told that this feature will be added in very soon.
If you have a brick-and-mortar practice, consider these
SHARC. This one has all the features you’ll need in a small animal practice. The only thing they don’t have is an app, but as I said, for me this is not a deal breaker. You can add an icon to your home screen as a shortcut, enabling you to log in quickly. If you would like to include an exercise prescription program, you can pair SHARC with Go Go Charlie to give you an all-round experience.
Best software for taking notes (only)
If you just want a software to take notes, then I suggest Scribenote. Uploading documentation, photos, radiographs, etc. is all easily done with a few clicks. It also works from your phone, which is handy. It’s really clean and simple to use and costs $29 per month.
While Scribenote is limited to note-taking, I really like it and think it’s one we should keep an eye on. They offer great customer service and will probably be expanding their features over the next few years.
Conclusion
In the end, however, you will need to test the software yourself. They all have a free trial period. I suggest you write down what you are looking for in software, taking account of your five-year goals and how you think your practice may grow.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this blog are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click the link and sign up. However, I assure you that I only affiliate to companies which I feel offer real benefits to you, the Vetrehabber. The research and writing of these blogs takes hours and hours, and this way, I get a small payment for my time.
So – if you’re happy for me to get a commission, please click the links and find out more. (But you can always find them without my links, too!)
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