What does it truly mean to be a ‘financially friendly’ veterinary practice? It’s not about providing free or heavily discounted care, slashing prices, or transforming into a ‘low-cost’ clinic. Instead, it’s about creating an environment that respectfully and empathetically understands and addresses your clients’ financial concerns. Financial friendliness is kind of like a “fear free” experience, but for humans!
In recognition of the growing challenges many pet owners face in accessing necessary veterinary care, in 2023 VetBilling spearheaded the creation of Access to Veterinary Care Awareness Day, which takes place on May 10. This initiative underscores a critical and worsening issue—declining access to veterinary services for numerous pets and their families due to financial, geographical, and cultural barriers. VetBilling believes in actively addressing these challenges to better the lives of pets, pet parents, and the veterinary teams that care for them.
An elderly man faces a heart-wrenching decision when his cherished Chihuahua requires urgent surgery, for which he is financially unprepared. He has $500 to use as a down payment, but his clinic tells him they have a strict “no payment plans” policy – despite the man’s longstanding relationship with the clinic and a prior payment history that is flawless. But this time, his dog’s medical situation arose at a bad time. This pressing situation raises crucial questions: Should financial policies in veterinary care allow for more compassion and flexibility? Could such changes not only benefit pet owners but also enhance the veterinary profession itself?
A pioneering study by Heather Cammisa and Samantha Hill of Open Door Veterinary Collective, and published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science — the second most-cited journal in veterinary medicine — draws upon six years of payment plan data provided by VetBilling, unveiling fresh insights into the viability of offering managed in-house payment plans to improve access to veterinary care. Discover how innovative payment options have the potential to revolutionize pet healthcare, offering a brighter future for pets and their owners, and reducing moral distress for veterinary professionals.
You can educate clients about the value of veterinary services all day long, but if you aren’t also offering flexible payment options that help them
The team at Lake Road Animal Hospital in New York tried just about everything over the years to encourage client compliance with their dental recommendations. But it wasn’t until they did one surprising thing that they saw a significant shift.
Suzanne Cannon knows how hard it is to choose between finances and your pet’s health. 15 years ago her dog developed a life-threatening case of pancreatitis, requiring $4,000 of emergency treatment. Declined for CareCredit because she was “credit invisible,” her pet insurance policy didn’t help because it required upfront payment to the veterinarian. Not knowing where to turn for help, years later she created her own solution to help both pet parents and veterinarians.
Pet Savings Accounts are an excellent way to encourage pet owners to be proactively prepared for future veterinary expenses. Not everyone has the discipline to set up a personal savings account without occasionally raiding it to pay for an impulse purchase. Pet Savings Accounts offered through your practice let clients set aside a dedicated dollar amount on a monthly basis that is specifically earmarked for veterinary costs.
