Many veterinary team members can spout off a list of frustrations about their veterinary practice management software. From slow servers to un-integrated tools and SOAP notes that take too long to complete, these annoyances can impede workflows. But switching PIMS may seem overwhelming, so they make do with their current setup.
From a leadership perspective, switching PIMS requires time, human resources, and money. It can be easy to justify the quirks of your current PIMS when you focus on the investment you’ve already made and the cost of switching to a new system. Especially when facing challenges like an industry recession, a significant investment that requires training and reduced capacity can seem like a bad idea.
But the costs of running and maintaining a legacy system, the toll outdated software takes on your team and clients, and the opportunities you lose when your system can’t support modern tools like AI can far outweigh the costs of making a switch. Here’s a closer look at the real costs of waiting to switch to a cloud-based PIMS.
Software and hardware expenses
When you weigh the decision to purchase new veterinary practice management software, consider what your current setup already costs:
- Hardware: On-site servers, backup devices, and network equipment that you buy, power, and replace can add up. To access servers remotely, you may also need a VPN and remote desktop software for each employee.
- IT support: Outside IT personnel must install updates, maintain databases, and help with troubleshooting veterinary clinic software. If your server crashes, you’ll need IT help to restore it.
- Software updates: Security fixes and software updates may not be included with legacy software, so upgrades may incur additional costs.
Add-on tools: If your software lacks full functionality, you may need to purchase additional tools to handle tasks such as client communication, inventory management, or online booking.
Hidden operational costs
Some costs arise from inefficiencies and wasted employee time. Older veterinary practice management software may require teams to build workarounds to complete daily tasks. The time needed for these extra steps can add up throughout the day, costing your team time and money.
Time-consuming tasks that may slow down your team include:
- Manual data entry: If the tools you use daily (e.g., imaging station, lab machines, client communication tools) don’t integrate with your PIMS, a team member must manually transfer data between systems.
- Extra clicks: Simple tasks can take far longer than necessary in an older system. If checking out a patient, refilling a prescription, or entering medical notes requires more than one or two clicks, your team’s time is not well spent.
After-hours charting: Teams working with clunky software can get bogged down easily, so they may not have time for charting until the end of the day. Staying after closing can ultimately affect your team’s morale and retention.
Client service slowdowns
Veterinary practice management software shapes how clients experience your practice and the revenue you generate from visits.
If your system doesn’t support digital communications such as texting, payment links, online booking, and automated email reminders, your CSRs likely spend much of their time manually completing these tasks. Consider how much time your CSRs spend on the phone when they could be focused on the in-clinic client experience instead.
Older veterinary software is also less efficient at capturing charges, requiring individuals to remember and enter every service performed for each patient. In busy veterinary practices, charges can easily get missed, which impacts the clinic’s bottom line.
Risk and resilience
Thinking about your practice’s most hectic days, how many are due to server failures? When your veterinary practice management system goes down, everything stops.
Security risks are another concern. Legacy systems require manual updates and may not keep sufficient backup data, making them vulnerable to outside attacks. If you’re missing the latest security patch because your IT person had to reschedule, you may be at risk of a ransomware attack or data breach.
Opportunity costs
Staying with legacy practice management software can limit growth opportunities. The industry has seen an explosion of new technologies designed to make everyday practice life easier and more efficient, but you may struggle to integrate them into an older system. You may even be limited to a few branded integrations, such as lab and imaging systems.
Adopting newer, cloud-based veterinary practice management software with an open API provides a world of possibilities for you, your team, and your clients. If your practice has a pain point, such as inventory management, analytics, charting, payments, scheduling, or client communication, an integration is likely available to help.
What opportunities are you missing by sticking with an older system? Faster charting, fulfilled employees, better client retention, improved compliance, and more efficient processes are all possible with the right technology.
Cutting costs with Provet
Taking time to look at how your current system affects revenue, time management, and team morale can help you decide whether waiting to switch PIMS may be holding your veterinary practice back.
For more help understanding what’s involved in switching to new veterinary software, check out our updated Complete Buyer’s Guide to Veterinary Practice Management Software. Or, schedule a demo with our Provet team to learn how our simple, secure platform and curated integrations can help you realize the benefits of switching.
