How to increase owner compliance with wellness visits
Unfortunately, it can be challenging to get healthy patients returning for routine wellness and preventative care. Many owners will not return to the vet after the initial vaccination series, or vaccinations required by law may be the only veterinary care that is sought. Cats are especially underserved because owners often think the value of wellness visits is not worth the difficulty and stress of getting their cat to the animal hospital. To counter this problem, we will discuss some ways to increase patient retention for wellness care by communicating the value of wellness care.
Start by having wellness discussions that are relevant to the pet’s life-stage – this will better engage the client, highlight the value of preventative care, and increase compliance with recommendations:
For puppy and kitten visits, emphasize the importance of disease prevention through topics such as vaccines, deworming, appropriate diets for growth, and proper socialization for dogs. By going into more detail about the specific diseases vaccination prevents, owners understand the value of compliance beyond the puppy series and throughout life.
Don’t forget the leptospirosis vaccines. Since rats, wildlife, as well as domestic livestock can spread the disease, almost all dogs are at risk and should be protected, even small dogs living in the city.
For adult and senior pets, discuss how frequent wellness checks can proactively catch masses, murmurs, or the onset of other diseases before the patient is clinically ill.
Common threads for any life stage include flea, tick, and heartworm prevention and screening. For dogs in areas at risk of Lyme disease, make sure to talk to pet owners about vaccination in addition to tick control.
Additionally, discussing the importance of a complete and balanced diet and monitoring appropriate body conditioning enhances the value owners see in wellness checks.
Mention how investing in preventative care is actually a way to save money while maintaining their pet’s health. Many owners may not realize how many diseases we can catch early, if given the chance. Inform clients about how preventive care and proactive disease screening often improves the ease of treatment, reduces overall costs, and can greatly increase their companion’s longevity.
This can also be a good time to ask if owners are aware of pet insurance plans that can help make long-term care and disease prevention even more affordable.
Lastly, as the appointment is wrapping up always think about when the next appointment should be and mention it to the client. Will a vaccination be due in 3-4 weeks? Will the senior pet need six-month wellness check ups? Will the prescription require once yearly appointments for your VCPR? This will decrease the odds of scheduling errors and omissions that occur as the client is transferred back to reception for check out. Moreover, these direct recommendations from the doctor communicate and reinforce the expectation and importance of ongoing patient care.
