Devastating revenue declines from COVID-19 restrictions are finally turning the corner. After many hospitals reported 40 percent fewer appointments and 20 percent revenue downturns in April, year-over-year average revenue for May was up six percent.1,2 Practice owners and managers urgently want to reclaim lost revenue from checkups and elective procedures that were postponed and get furloughed employees back to work. Have practice leaders discuss the following back-to-business strategies, and then schedule a staff meeting to get buy-in from onsite and remote employees. Use free plans from Zoom and Free Conference Call to include everyone. After getting your team’s input, post the strategies, timelines for implementation, and assigned responsibilities on an employee bulletin board. Having everyone see and work the plan will ensure success. Start recovering revenue with these tactics: 1) Capture overdue patients first. Call, text, and email clients with pets that were overdue for checkups between March (when lockdown orders began) and now. Book those appointments first. Here’s what to say: “Hello, <client name>. This is <name> with <hospital name>. COVID safety guidelines for our area will let us see pets for checkups starting on <date>. <Pet name> was due on <date>. We urgently need to get <pet name> up to date. We don’t want to risk exposure to rabies, diseases, or parasites. We are calling clients with overdue pets and offering priority scheduling. Let’s book your pet’s appointment now. You will get a text/email appointment confirmation, along with instructions on our safety protocols. We could see <pet name> on <Date 1> at <time> or on <Date 2> at <time>. Which do you prefer?” The phrase “priority scheduling” creates a sense of urgency. Explain the risk of not acting. Lead the client to book now with the yes-or-yes technique, which is stronger than, “Do you want to schedule an appointment?” Adapt this script for email and text communications. 2) Forward-book pets with checkups coming due during the next one to two months. If a patient is due for a checkup Aug. 15, send the reminder Aug. 1 to book the appointment for the week of Aug. 15. Use a combination of email, text, app notices, and calls to prompt clients to book now. Here’s what to say: “Hello, <client name>. This is <name> with <hospital name>. COVID safety guidelines for our area will let us see pets for checkups starting on <date>. <Pet name> is now due. To get your first choice of doctor, time, and date, we want to forward-book your pet’s appointment now. You will get a text/email confirmation, along with instructions on our safety protocols to prepare for your visit. We can see <pet name> on <Date 1> at <time> or on <Date 2> at <time>. Which do you prefer?” The benefit statement of “first choice of time, date, and doctor” will have clients take action. When clients book, explain your COVID safety protocols. If you’re continuing curbside service, say: “Please call us from your car when you arrive for your pet’s appointment. After reviewing your pet’s medical record, a veterinary nurse will call to ask you questions about your pet and to explain services we will deliver. We will take your pet inside the hospital and perform care while you wait in your car. A doctor will call you to explain exam findings, treatments, and medications. A receptionist will review your pet’s services and fees over the phone and get your credit card information for payment. The nurse will bring your pet and medications to you in our parking lot. We appreciate the opportunity to care for your pet and to have a safe environment for everyone.” Tip: Many providers charge a merchant fee of two percent or higher for credit cards that are processed manually. Some let you send email or text-to-pay links for lower rates. Ask merchant providers about mobile payment options. If you’re seeing in-clinic appointments, say: “Please call us from your car when you arrive for your pet’s appointment. We will have you wait in your car, rather than in our lobby. We will call you when the doctor and nurse are ready to see you and tell you the exam room number to enter. You will go directly into the exam room, bypassing the reception desk. Our team will be wearing face masks, and we need you to do the same. The doctor and nurse will provide services in the exam room with you present. We will refill prescriptions and food or help you set up an account in our online store. You also will pay in the exam room and get a receipt and any instructions by email. We appreciate the opportunity to care for your pet and to have a safe environment for everyone.” With COVID safety protocols, I advise adding a “safety and sanitizing buffer” of 10 minutes between appointments to allow for sanitizing the exam room, to let the current client exit, and to allow the next client to enter without crossing paths. Have the nurse or assistant open the exam door for the client to exit and to confirm another pet owner is not in the lobby. The assistant also could wave or tell the receptionist from a six-foot distance that she may call to have the next client enter when the current client leaves. 3) Use online or app scheduling tools. The average health-care scheduling call takes eight minutes, with a third of the call sitting in queue or waiting on hold.3 Your client care team will face a tsunami of calls during reopening phases—online scheduling is a smart tool to provide efficient scheduling and immediate bookings. Offer online booking on your website or app. For more tips on scheduling and safety protocols during reopening phases, watch my free webinar on “How your practice can return to (semi) normal operations” (wi.st/3eMKMt0) and download the handout at bit.ly/2XZStVR. Let’s get back to business while keeping our employees and clients safe. Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, has been training veterinary teams for more than 20 years as owner of Communication Solutions for Veterinarians in Castle Pines, Colo. She helps health-care teams improve telephone and communication skills that result in getting more pets the medical care they need. Myers shares her expertise through conferences, online courses, and monthly CE credit webinars. She is a certified veterinary journalist and author of five books. You may reach her at wmyers@csvets.com or csvets.com. References 1 Survey finds declining practice revenue, move toward telemedicine. JAVMA News. Published April 29, 2020. Available at bit.ly/307akgl. Accessed June 3, 2020. 2 VetSuccess Industry Summary. May 25-30, 2020. Available at bit.ly/3713AlN. Accessed June 3, 2020. 3 Insight Driven Health: Why First Impressions Matter, Accenture, May 2013. Available at accntu.re/2XxbhwM. Accessed May 5, 2020.
