18 Jan 2022
Nationwide group Vets4Pets is first to start using new service, with owners able to use it to speak with vets about whether a consultation is needed, or to make payments and order treatments.
Vet Times
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Image © Aleksei / Adobe Stock
An online service aimed at giving owners a way to get in contact with a vet through a popular app has been launched in a bid to relieve pressure on vet staff.
VetHelpDirect has taken advantage of WhatsApp’s feature for business to allow owners to get in contact with veterinary staff at any time to seek routine remote care or advice.
In setting up the service, VetHelpDirect collaborated with Vets4Pets and is already live at practices across the UK, including at Vets4Pets in Emersons Green, Bristol.
Through the service, vets can assess whether the animal needs a consultation, or owners can use it to order and pay for medication and treatments. Using the platform, pet owners are safely and securely sent a link to process payments in one touch using the likes of Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Oliver Vann, practice manager at Vets4Pets in Emersons Green, said: “The experience pet owners receive is not just about the clinical part of our jobs. The administrative part of the experience has a huge bearing on whether clients feel like they received quality pet care.
“By working with VetHelpDirect, we’ve been able to improve the softer side of our business, making life as stress free as possible for pets and their owners.
“People can easily share videos and photos of their pets with us so we can triage what care they need. Feedback has been that the service helps put pet owners’ minds at ease, and cuts unnecessary admin and stress for them, and for the practice.”
Carla Puime Costoya, partner and veterinary surgeon at the same practice, added: “A great deal of phone traffic at a vet practice is about repeat prescriptions. It’s a burden on the reception team and an unnecessarily time-intensive job for pet owners.
“By communicating through WhatsApp, we have been able to streamline this process, and enable clients to order and pay for repeat prescriptions on their smartphones. This makes it easier for pet owners and it has a positive impact on the running of the practice, which means we are able to focus more on the care we provide.”
Susie Samuel, chief executive and founder of VetHelpDirect said she hoped the tool would help with the administrative burden affecting many stretched practices. She said: “By using such a simple and ubiquitous tool, we think we can revolutionise pet care, while also helping vet practices run more efficiently and reduce stress.”
