Griffin Exotics is the only bird and exotic pet veterinary hospital in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina area. Committed to providing exceptional care with a personal touch, the hospital caters to a wide range of weird and wonderful creatures, from sugar gliders and chinchillas to peacocks and salamanders.
After more than 15 years of using DVMAX, a classic server-based system, Griffin Exotics made the decision to switch to ezyVet, a modern cloud-based solution. We caught up with practice manager Danya Cumberland to talk about what motivated the change and how the hospital has fared since making the transition to ezyVet.
Time for a change
With close to 20 years of experience under her belt, Danya understands the impact software can have on a veterinary practice. After taking over the day-to-day management of Griffin Exotics in 2020, she quickly identified some key issues with the practice’s system that were beginning to impede the team's ability to collaborate and work efficiently.
“The team wasn’t really using DVMAX effectively in their workflows,” recalled Danya. “A receptionist would book an appointment, but then the technicians wouldn’t be able to add notes to the appointment. Basically, it was just time for a change.”
The needs of the team were evolving and it was becoming evident that the current system would be unable to grow with the practice.
After weighing up their options, the team decided to go with ezyVet after seeing how the cloud-based solution could help them work more efficiently while meeting the needs of an exotic animal hospital.
Robust onboarding makes for smooth transition
Organizational change can be challenging. Because DVMAX was so deeply rooted in the history of Griffin Exotics, a robust onboarding would be needed to ensure a smooth transition to the new software.
According to Danya, having someone from ezyVet on site to oversee the transition was key for a successful migration.
“The fact that somebody would come in with us and be there with us was definitely a selling point. I've never heard of any other business doing that. Our implementer prepared us pretty well to move forward. I feel like my staff is probably not as computer-savvy as some others, but I think they've done a good job of learning to use ezyVet.”
Of course, acclimatizing to a new system takes time - particularly when users are so accustomed to a certain way of doing things. Take right-clicking, for example. Navigating the ezyVet UI frequently involves right-clicks, which has been a bit of a learning experience for some of the practice’s diehard Mac users (right clicking has traditionally been disabled by default in MacOS). There are also some differences in the way medical histories are organized in ezyVet compared with DVMAX.
Overall, however, Danya believes the transition went smoothly and that the benefits far outweigh the minor challenges that her team has encountered.
Increased financial performance
After transitioning to ezyVet, frontline staff soon noticed the software’s impact on operational efficiency. Daily tasks for technicians, assistants, and receptionists became more fluid. The ability for the entire team to input charges marked a significant departure from the DVMAX era, where this responsibility was restricted to one doctor. Now, the whole staff can add charges to the invoice, which helps the practice capture more revenue.
The practice’s financial performance has also been supported by ezyVet’s integration with PayJunction, a contactless payment solution that enables Griffin Exotics to accept credit and debit card payments in-store, online and on the go.
“PayJunction - boy, that has been a game-changer,” said Danya. “It’s really helped with efficiency. Staff can check clients out faster because they don’t have to sit there typing in the credit card number and the credit card number can be saved.”
Not only does the PayJunction integration help front of house staff save time, it also reduces the risk of missed charges stemming from human error. When a payment record is made in ezyVet, payment details are sent straight through to the PayJunction terminal, so “there’s no chance of staff accidentally typing in $1 dollar instead of $1,000,” said Danya.
Communication tools reduce no-show rates
In the past, no-show appointments were a common issue for Griffin Exotics, resulting in lost revenue and inefficient scheduling. Thankfully, those problems are largely now a thing of the past - something that Danya attributes to ezyVet’s powerful communication features.
With ezyVet, the Griffin Exotics team can now text and email clients directly from within their practice management system, while automatic appointment reminders have been set up to send to clients ahead of their appointments. Not only has this helped to reduce no-show rates and drive revenue, but it has also strengthened client compliance, leading to greater quality of care and improved health outcomes for patients.
Growing with the cloud
As a cloud-based solution, ezyVet can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. That’s a significant benefit for Griffin Exotics. In a small practice where space is a premium, the flexibility of allowing staff to work remotely can alleviate physical constraints while helping staff achieve a better work-life balance.
Danya envisions a larger practice in the future, with staff members handling reception work from home.
“We can use ezyVet on any computer. The goal is to grow into a larger practice with some staff members doing reception work from home. With more space in the clinic, we’ll be able to have more stations and more exam rooms.”
ezyVet will play a central role in these expansion plans, allowing Griffin Exotics to effortlessly scale up and keep their team connected, regardless of where staff are physically located.
Conclusion
Technology is changing the animal healthcare industry. Transitioning to ezyVet has enabled Danya and her team to work more efficiently, drive revenue, and communicate more effectively with clients, while the flexibility of the cloud will allow the practice to grow seamlessly in the years ahead.
Want to find out how ezyVet could transform your practice? Book a demo today!