Why a Veterinarian Should Make Use of a Vet Wellness Plan

Pets become an integral part of any family and need to be taken care of in the event of emergencies and for routine care such as shots and checkups. Unfortunately, it's not always affordable for someone to pay the full price of a visit up-front, which results in large bills for the customer and pets that are not adequately taken care of at all times. This is the case for numerous pet owners due to the persisting economic difficulties the nation faces. When faced with mortgage payments, insurance, and basic expenses, treatment for the family pet is often given lesser priority.

Offering a vet wellness plan to clients is a responsible measure and ensures that clients return to your office over and over again. Giving clients the option to enroll in a wellness plan in-house gives customers peace of mind to ensure their pets remain healthy so they don't have to stress in the event of an emergency.

It's not as difficult to maintain a program as it seems to be. With the proper provider, you will be able to offer a variety of plans to suit customers that need basic to intensive coverage. Alternate plans can be given to those who have multiple pets. This flexibility will make your practice stand out as patient-focused rather than money-focused.

Where financing is the concern, billing can be done through an alternate company so you don't have to deal with the hassle of billing and non-payment. At the same time, customers are relieved because they don't have to have the cash up-front to receive services. Once a customer is in the system, their information can be updated at any time to accommodate changes to their address, payment methods or pet's information.

When clients are concerned about an older pet that may pass away, and want to ensure that any coverage they purchase can be used even after it passes, it's beneficial to provide a program that transfers from one animal to another without unnecessary hassle or costs to either party.

Of course it's not feasible to provide coverage to all applicants. Some pose a greater credit risk and would be too large of a risk to consider financing. With a proper wellness plan setup, screening is done when an applicant applies to ensure that they are a suitable match for the program. You may also benefit from keeping statistics about wellness programs.

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Why Veterinary Clinics Should Offer Their Own Vet Wellness Plans

Vet wellness plans are designed to help keep the cost of providing medical care to pets affordable. While many pet owners make use of commercial vet wellness plans that ensure discounts on office visits and specific types of treatments, a local veterinarian would do well to create his or her own plan and offer it to current and potential clients. Here are some reasons why doing so would generate significant benefits for both the vet and the clients.

Ease of Administration

Vet wellness plans that are created at the local level are much easier to manage. There is no need for plan administrators to deal with issues like sudden changes in benefits or an unanticipated rejection of a claim submitted to the provider. If the wellness plan is owned and managed by the local vet, all information about the plan is readily available and there is no need to consult with anyone outside the office. This will consolidate the already numerous responsibilities that accompany the management of this type of care facility, and make it easier for staff members to remain on the same page.

Additional Revenue Stream

Since vet wellness plans usually include a monthly installment payment in return for providing selected health services to pets, the plan helps to create an additional revenue stream. More importantly, that revenue stream is easier to project over the course of the year. This makes it easier to develop an operating budget for the vet's clinic and make sure that all the bills are paid on time, which will certainly facilitate more efficient management.

Generate Customer Loyalty

Assuming the wellness plan is simple and easy for clients to use, they have an incentive to keep bringing their pets in for treatments. By creating this type of value-added situation for customers, vets can worry less about the competition around town slowly pecking away at his or her client base. Customers who feel respected and feel they are paying reasonable rates for the plan coverage and are getting "patient-first" treatment are highly unlikely to consider changing vets.

Veterinarians who want to not only maintain but grow their businesses would do well to develop a workable wellness plan and offer it to their customers. While the effort may call for some investment of time and money on the front end, the benefits of the strategy will easily offset those expenses and make a positive difference in new patient numbers.

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