For veterinary teams, pre-visit pharmaceuticals (PVPs) are often the key to more accurately evaluating patients without causing them unnecessary fear, anxiety and stress. According to Dr. Robin Downing, an Elite Fear Free Certified Practitioner, prescribing PVPs and treating pain with analgesics “are supported by sound bioethical principles, and these principles apply to the patient, the pet owner and the veterinary health care team.” When used correctly and conscientiously, PVPs and analgesics can contribute to a practice’s profitability.
EDITOR’S NOTE
This is the third in a three-part series on using sedation and analgesics to improve veterinary care and boost the bottom line. This Clinic Consult series is brought to you by Dechra.
How They Increase Revenue
Recommending PVPs and analgesics financially benefits the pharmacy profit center — more sales mean more revenue. In addition, such medications can lead to:
- Better compliance: Clients are more likely to bring a pet for regular wellness care and recommended rechecks if they aren’t anxious about the animal’s travel and in-clinic behavior. Pets that benefit most from pre-visit pharmaceuticals are those whose anxiety begets anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle that escalates the client’s apprehension. PVPs help ensure the pet’s veterinary experience is more pleasant and that the client is more likely to provide needed care when they see the results.
- Clinic efficiency: Frightened or anxious pets are often uncooperative, making diagnostics difficult. PVPs simplify procedures, helping the veterinary team work more efficiently and be more productive.
- Improved patient care: When the pet is calm and cooperative, the team can more easily recognize issues that might need further diagnostics like X-rays or ultrasound. Those services also increase revenue.
“When we are proactive with communication about why sedation is necessary and use early intervention, we see a more relaxed patient and client,” said consultant and Today’s Veterinary Business columnist Dr. Natalie L. Marks. “This leads to a boost in revenue because we now have the ability to do a thorough and complete physical examination and recommend diagnostics.”
More for the Team
Ensuring your team members are well-versed in client communication and the promotion of pre-visit pharmaceuticals and analgesics supports consistent messaging. Practice leaders should explain to the team that the sensible use of PVPs and analgesics spurs greater profitability, a bounty that can be shared through wage increases and more fringe benefits.
Elevating Client Trust
When pet owners see their dog or cat struggling during an examination, the veterinarian-client-patient relationship becomes strained. On the other hand, a veterinary professional’s recommendation that a pet be sedated during the visit or receive a PVP communicates to the client that the patient’s best interests are front and center. The understanding immediately puts the owner and health care team on the same side, with everyone focused on a positive experience for the pet.
Once clients see the difference a medication can make, they greatly appreciate the team’s efforts to maximize the pet’s comfort during a visit. In addition, effective pain management can restore the activities a pet once enjoyed and improve the cat or dog’s quality of life, elevating the owner’s trust.
“Witnessing and participating in these lifestyle improvements can cement a client’s commitment and loyalty to a practice,” said Dr. Downing, who heads the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management. “Their trust increases, and the probability of their accepting and carrying through with veterinary recommendations improves as well.”
A Competitive Advantage
When administered appropriately, pre-visit pharmaceuticals and analgesics can help a practice retain clients and attract new ones by:
- Reducing frustration: Pets that become severely stressed during an exam or diagnostics might need their appointment to be rescheduled, which can frustrate owners who took time out of their day for the visit. PVPs allow the team to perform necessary tasks without delay.
- Improving the veterinary experience: Many clients whose pets need PVPs might have had negative encounters at previous appointments, so they typically arrive worried and anxious. When they witness a positive experience, they’re often grateful and relieved that their pets can be cared for without stress and anxiety.
- Addressing acute pain: Managing a pet’s pain after surgery or dentistry work communicates that your practice is serious about pain control.
- Addressing chronic pain: Proper long-term management of chronic maladaptive pain can significantly improve a pet’s quality of life. Most owners will seek clinics that demonstrate compassionate care and effective pain-relieving medication protocols.
- Inspiring positive publicity: Satisfied clients are more likely to recommend your veterinary practice to friends and family and post complimentary reviews.
Proper Pricing
If you don’t charge appropriately for pre-visit pharmaceuticals and sedation, you can create the perception that the services aren’t helpful, undermining their value. However, overpricing them can make the medications cost-prohibitive for some clients. That can be a problem for the team because many veterinary professionals are reluctant to recommend a product or procedure they deem too costly.
The goal is to ensure that all patients receive PVPs and analgesia as needed, which typically requires a volume-based, margin-pricing structure. You must determine the best strategy for your practice by assessing the number of patients that will or should require medication and determining the pharmaceuticals or cocktails your team is most comfortable using.
“I look at sedation as a tool to allow a complete physical exam, formulate thorough recommendations and move forward with additional diagnostics,” Dr. Marks said. “A price that is cost-prohibitive for most clients creates a big obstacle to further workups.”
AFTER SEDATION
When you discharge a pet recovering from sedation, provide the owner with detailed, transparent information. For example:
- When the patient’s behavior will return to normal.
- How a “normal” recovering patient looks.
- When and how much to feed the pet.
- When exercise may resume and any restrictions.
- Any nuances of the pharmaceutical or its administration.
- When to call the veterinary practice or seek after-hours care.
“PVPs have changed the landscape of our practice,” said Dr. Robin Downing of the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management. “The rewards are tremendous when we work cooperatively with patients — better for pets, better for the people who love them and better for the veterinary health care team.”