How to promote preventative healthcare
Always recommend your PHP if the client is in the practice for anything that is included in the plan.
We should always make time to promote healthcare in the busy veterinary day - Brian Faulkner suggests how we can do it.
Brian talked his audience through five ways of promoting good preventative healthcare, without comprising either the practice or the client.
1. Vaccine price checker
Talk to clients about the different options they have.
Brian suggests having three:
- The basic vaccine option - basic price
- The basic vaccine plus a flea/tick/wormer pack - a value option
- The healthcare plan - spreading the cost of preventative healthcare
He pointed out that the cost of a vaccine should not lose the practice a potential client, so you also need to give three good reasons why they should chose you.
2. Preventative healthcare plan (PHP)
Always recommend your PHP if the client is in the practice for anything that is included in the plan. The magic phrase is: “Has anyone talked you through our healthcare plan?” It is also worthwhile to have a PHP poster in both the reception area and consulting rooms.
3. Re-check consultation
Look at the patient's record before they arrive to see if they need any vaccination or parasite control etc. It is much better to do this at a re-check, rather than a first consult, and consider offering restart vaccination courses for the price of the booster.
4. Waiting for the booster consult in reception
While the client is waiting the receptionist can ask them to fill in a form about their pet's health. This is useful data collection, helping to keep client records up to date and helps to cleanse records of old data. It is also worth having a space on the form for clients to fill in any symptoms of concern they have for their pet/s as this can help in the consultation
5. Annual booster
Have a policy on practice healthcare and create forms which can be used at the annual booster consultation. This enables the vet to talk the policy through with the client and plan the best healthcare for the pet.
Brian's final message was to make sure that you note any client refusals of offers such as kennel cough vaccination or the four-week free insurance offers, in order to prevent any comeback from the client at a later date.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
