How to Increase the Emphasis on Preventive Healthcare in Your Practice

This practice makes the message loud and clear with a compelling website and united team philosophy

Drs. Jon and Julie Woodman and their dog, Diamond

You can tell a lot about a veterinary practice’s values by their website. Town & Country Veterinary Services of Hastings, MN is no exception.

Drs. Julie and Jon Woodman have owned Town & Country Veterinary Services for 18 years and preventive healthcare is one of their top priorities. “We’d rather see happy, healthy pets. If we can keep them alive longer, it is best for the practice, the team and the owner. It’s a win for all.”

Their commitment to preventive healthcare is evident on their website, http://towncountryvet.com. One of the primary sections on their practice’s homepage is strictly dedicated to Partners for Healthy Pets (PHP) and the importance of yearly checkups.

Dr. Julie Woodman learned about PHP when she attended the 2014 AVMA convention in Denver and enrolled their clinic in the Practice Enrollment Program. She uses this monthly newsletter for website content and Facebook posts.

What’s the most important part to educating clients on preventive healthcare? Dr. Woodman answers, “We talk about it in every appointment. The receptionist talks about it. The technician talks about it. Pet owners need to hear it more than once.” She adds, “Some owners will connect with certain members of the team, like our receptionist or technician, and suddenly hear the message loud and clear.” Dr. Woodman says they make sure their whole team is aligned and consistent with the preventive healthcare message.

The results of Dr. Woodman’s efforts are obvious. She says, “Much of our preventive healthcare is focused on preventing tick-borne diseases so we talk a lot about tick preventives. We also put emphasis on heartworm prevention, so we don’t see a lot of it. We haven’t had to treat heartworm disease in a couple of years.”

More tips from Dr. Julie Woodman:

“Social media is important and has changed the way pet owners come into the practice. Owners will read something on our Facebook page and come in and ask a question about what they’ve read,” says Dr. Woodman. She says this is a good way to start a conversation with a client.
Dr. Woodman is also interested in utilizing the PHP social media training tools from Dr. Michael Warren to fine-tune her skills. She admits she’s “no expert” but is eager to learn more!
Allowing clients to book appointments online has made a huge difference to their practice. As of February, the practice sends emails and postcards with QR codes so clients can immediately book their pet’s appointments. Dr. Woodman says, “Clients appreciate it!”

Get inspired! Read more from practices that have seen success using the PHP tools and resources.

Partners for Healthy Pets is dedicated to ensuring that pets receive the preventive healthcare they deserve through regular visits to a veterinarian. We are committed to working with you to enhance the health of your patients and your practice. Learn more about all the tools available to your practice in the Partners for Healthy Pets Resources Toolbox.

Read what your colleagues are saying about their experiences using specific Partners for Healthy Pets tools.

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