From medical appointments to hotels to restaurant waiting lists, today’s consumers expect fast, easy mobile check-in options. Why should veterinary appointments be any different?
The traditional veterinary check-in process is full of stress and uncertainty for clients. They want their sick pets to be seen as quickly as possible. But, they often don’t have a clear indication of appointment availability until they walk through the door. Then, they may be met with a stack of intake paperwork to fill out, further delaying their appointment time and adding more stress.
Fortunately, express check-in solutions are changing the way veterinarians welcome clients and pets to their clinics. Let’s explore how express check-in works for veterinary care and why every practice should embrace this helpful tool.
What Is Veterinary Express Check-In?
Express check-in (also known as mobile check-in) refers to a streamlined check-in process that doesn’t require waiting for in-person assistance. Express check-in is a common benefit in the hospitality industry and is increasingly offered by medical practices.
The key features of express check-in include:
- Mobile friendly
- Can be initiated or completed remotely
- Reduced paperwork or entirely paperless
For veterinary care, mobile check-in simplifies the appointment process for clients while making it easier for staff to manage the patient queue.
How Express Check-In Works for Veterinary Care
Mobile check-in for veterinary clinics and animal hospitals works on a website or app. Clinics can quickly direct clients to their platform via an SMS link or QR code.
To complete a mobile check-in, a client completes a simple digital questionnaire to provide the practice with key info regarding the nature of the visit. Requested info typically includes:
- Owner’s name, pet’s name, and what type of animal the pet is
- Pet’s gender, spayed/neutered status, and rabies vaccination status
- Pet’s approximate date of birth
- Brief description of the medical issue the pet is experiencing
- Owner’s contact info
- Option to opt in or out of text notifications
Clients can usually answer these questions without assistance in less than two minutes. After submitting their info, the client is entered into a virtual waiting room. They’re immediately notified of how many pets are ahead of them in the queue, along with additional information about how the practice prioritizes appointments.
While they wait to be seen, clients and their pets can pass the time in their car or outdoors near the practice. Throughout their wait, they can monitor their place in line and maintain a precise estimate of their appointment’s start time.
Mobile Check-In and Virtual Waiting: Benefits for Vet Clients and Pets
Express check-in and virtual waiting improve the appointment experience for pets, their owners, and veterinary staff.
For pet owners, express check-in makes it easier to begin the appointment process remotely. The ability to check in from a phone means that clients can quickly secure their place in the queue without being physically present at the clinic. Not even a phone call is required.
Then, immediately knowing their place in line and their estimated start time helps clients time their visit to reduce the amount of time spent in the physical waiting room. This reduces the stressful waiting room experience for pets. With virtual waiting, pets aren’t forced to spend an extended wait in the proximity of other anxious animals. This helps them start their appointments with a lower stress level, leading to better care.
Mobile check-in is a big win for vet staff, too. The digitally-managed queue uses automation to update projected appointment times and provide notifications to clients. That means less data entry and guesswork for reception staff.
Plus, the physical waiting room is less crowded, and therefore a much lower-stress environment. Fewer animals in the waiting room means less noise, fewer accidents to clean up, and a calmer, more pleasant environment for workers, pets, and pet owners.
Improve the Check-In Process at Your Veterinary Practice
If you’re eager to improve the check-in process at your veterinary clinic or animal hospital, ER Express can help. We supply busy veterinarians with digital client engagement software that streamlines check-ins, reduces pet stress, and improves the quality of care. It’s a win-win-win for pets, their owners, and veterinary staff.
Our cloud-based digital engagement tools for vet care include mobile check-in, paperless digital intake tools, and virtual waiting rooms.
To learn more, contact ER Express today to request a screenshare product demonstration.
