Читать книгу Pet-Specific Care for the Veterinary Team - Группа авторов - Страница 124

Most demographic groups have embraced technology that allows instant gratification and do‐it‐yourself (DIY) applications. There is a growing trend among pet owners to access information online, purchase products online, encourage the monitoring of their pets with wearable technology, and seek medical opinions online.

Pet owners want applications that allow them to be in contact with veterinary professionals at the time and via the medium of their choosing, even if veterinary practices have some qualms with this, may have concerns about the legalities of such actions, and have even more concerns about how to be compensated for such services.

Clients may attempt to contact veterinary hospitals by email or text (SMS), through social media and through online resources, including sending images and video; veterinary hospitals need to have a strategic plan for how to deal with such contact. Primary care veterinarians may try to use the same strategies with specialists, hoping for insights without having to refer the patient, and are faced with the same limitations.

Clients may have reasonable or unreasonable expectations that the veterinary hospitals with which they do business should be responsive to such contact. In some cases, it may be a follow‐up question to services that have already been provided (e.g., “Sheba chewed out one of the stitches from the procedure she just had, but it isn't bleeding. Do I need to bring her in?”). In other instances, it might be an attempt to save money or avoid the necessity of bringing a pet into the hospital (“Lily has had a bout of vomiting. Can I just give her the medicine I use when I have an upset stomach, and I'll bring her in if she doesn't get better?”).