Using Telehealth in Emergency
What better way to build better client relationships than by being there when they need us most….during an emergency. Whether Max has developed a goose-honking cough, Fido has a broken nail that won’t stop bleeding, or Gracie has developed a GDV, our clients need advice, triage, and guidance in stressful situations. With some ERs overwhelmed resulting wait times in excess of 20hours, real-time teletriage through Anipanion can not only not save pet parents and vet staff valuable time, but will help foster stronger relationships between you and your clients.
During in clinic hours
Although most emergencies tend to happen after hours, many occur during the day. Anipanion allows your clinic staff to triage the situation and guide the pet parent while freeing your phone lines and saving time.
- Triage
- Utilize a vet technician or veterinarian to determine if this is a true emergency or if it is a medical issue that can wait
- Can occur real-time or via asynchronous chat
- Guide the pet parent based on level of triage
- Come in to clinic now
- Prepare client for what may happen
- Curbside or in clinic check in
- Exam
- Diagnostics
- Surgery
- Hospitalization
- Financial deposit
- Collect client info
- Prepare client for what may happen
- Make appointment for same day, next day, or most appropriate date
- Advise the client on what to do in the meantime prior to appointment
- Provide symptoms to monitor
- Provide ER locations and contact info if appropriate
- Discuss what will happen at the appointment. Advise the client to bring in any samples needed (fecal, urine) or fast if necessary.
- Come in to clinic now
After hours
Although it may not be a true emergency, our pet parent’s level of stress seems to increase significantly after 5pm. With Anipanion, your clients can have access to you and your staff as you see fit for triage and emergency care. This can be tailored to your hospital needs and wants- you don’t have to provide after hours advice. Your hospital may be set up to take emergencies after hours and Anipanion can help facilitate triage, communications, and patient care. If your hospital does not see after hour emergencies, you can provide valuable triage and advice to your client through Anipanion’s real-time or chat features, and guide your clients to next steps for their pets.
- After hours in hospital ER care
- Triage patient
- Provide directions to hospital if needed
- Provide curbside instructions if needed
- If ER visit needed now, prepare client for what may happen
- Exam
- Diagnostics
- Surgery
- Hospitalization
- Financial deposit
- Collect client info
- Provide in hospital updates of the patient while in your care at the hospital
- If ER visit is not necessary, create follow up appointment
- Set appointment for real-time session through Anipanion
- Set up in hospital appointment
- Advise the client on what to do in the meantime prior to appointment
- Provide symptoms to monitor
- Provide ER locations and contact info if needed
- Discuss what will happen at the appointment. Advise client to bring in any samples needed (fecal, urine) or fast if necessary.
- After hours in hospital triage and guidance
- If your hospital does not provide after ER care, triage can still be a very valuable service for your clients.
- Determine level if care needed
- If ER care needed, provide location, contact info, and prepare pet parent for what may happen at visit
- If it is a medical issue that can wait, setup follow up care such as a real-time session through Anipanion or hospital appointment
- Advise the client on what to do in the meantime prior to appointment
- Provide symptoms to monitor that would indicate ER or care is needed or a follow up visit is needed sooner
In Specialty Practice
Emergency specialty practices are unbelievably busy. The ability to provide teletriage through Anipanion can save precious time for the ER staff and for worried pet parents.
- Teletriage patient
- Utilize veterinary technicians
- Red = emergency care needed asap
- Allow patient to be transferred to your practice for care
- Prepare client
- Curbside protocol
- What may happen during the visit
- Financial deposit
- Collect client info while they are en route to hospital
- Names
- Address
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Financial info
- Can provide documents requiring signatures
- Sedation/surgical release forms
- Hospital policy
- Yellow = not emergent, but needs care soon
- Advise client to contact their veterinarian next day
- Give symptoms to monitor
- Advise what can be done at home in the meantime prior to appointment
- Green = not emergent, can monitor at home
- Give symptoms to monitor
- Advise what can be done at home in the meantime prior to appointment
Veterinary hospitals are busier than ever before. Streamlining communications between pet parents and veterinary staff, and offering ER telehealth services through Anipanion will free up phone lines, create more efficient communications, provide added value to your hospital, and lead to better client retention. Keep clients in house while being there for them when they need you the most.
Real-World Scenario
Patient
Pet:
Gracie
Client:
Bob
Signalment:
2 yo, F, 70lb GSD
Medical History:
UTD on vaccines and prevention
You performed a seamless spay and prophylactic gastropexy on Sadie this morning. No complications occurred. She recovered uneventfully.
Discharge instructions were explained to the owner Bob at pickup and Sadie was sent home with her Ecollar on.
Scenario A
Your clinic is open until 6pm. Your last appointment no shows, so you leave the clinic early at 5:30p to make your son’s baseball game.
At 5:45pm, Bob calls your clinic and your technician answers. Gracie’s abdomen is red and bruised and she is leaving drops of blood around the house. He states he is on his way for you to fix it.
Your technician politely guides him to the nearest ER since you do not have a vet on staff at the moment to assist Gracie.
In true fashion, Bob becomes irate. He spent a “fortune” with you today and does not want to go to another hospital to pay even more money for something that is your fault. Many cuss words fly through the phone.
Your technician again advises Gracie be taken to the nearest ER for care. She tells Bob to make sure he gives Gracie all her medication including her Gabapentin to help control her pain and keep her calm.
He continues to yell to the point where your technician hangs up the phone and closes shop for the night. She then texts you about the ordeal, leaving you with a pit in your stomach, a pile of guilt, and a sleepless night worrying about Gracie.
I bet you can’t wait to get to work tomorrow to deal with Bob.
Scenario B: Anipanion Telehealth
Your clinic is open until 6pm. Your last appointment no shows, so you leave the clinic early at 5:30p to make your son’s baseball game.
You take your phone with you so you can accept Anipanion texts from clients while at the ball game.
At 5:45pm you receive a text from Bob inquiring about Gracie’s bruised abdomen and bleeding. Bob used Anipanion this morning to receive updates about Gracie while in surgery. You ask how Gracie is doing currently. She is calm and resting. You proceed to ask for a picture of Gracie’s gums and abdominal incision.
She is bubble gum pink and her incision is healthy and normal. The bruising and bleeding is minimal. This does not warrant an ER visit. You give Bob symptoms to monitor in case things change and overnight care is needed.
Bob, having never had a female dog before, is thankful for your advice and prompt response. Bob apologizes for his overreaction. He feels assured that she is doing well and feels that he and Gracie are being well cared for.
You recommend he send updates about Gracie in the morning through Anipanion.
The entire interaction with you and Bob took less than 5 minutes and occurred entirely through chat. You were able to attend your son’s ballgame, provide clear communications with your client, and you kept Gracie out of the ER (for which the ER vets and Bob thank you).
