Veterinary United, a Michigan-based veterinary group, partnered with Digitail to unify PIMS across its 22 locations, and deliver modern experiences to pet owners and veterinary teams
Founded 27 years ago as a humble family business by Dr. Thomas Bankstahl and his wife Julie, Veterinary United evolved into a network of 22 veterinary hospitals, boarding, and daycare centers across Southeastern Michigan. The continued expansion of the group created the need for a unified and scalable practice management system (PIMS) that will remain relevant for years to come.
“When partnering with new veterinary hospitals, we prioritize retaining their legacy and individuality while helping them grow as part of our family.”
“However, over time we found ourselves juggling eight different PIMS, some of them server-based. It was not sustainable.”
Dr. Jeff Niziolek, Chief Experience Officer at Veterinary United
The new PIMS needed to be built for the future. Efficient scaling, connectedness, remote accessibility, the ability to analyze real-time data across all practices, and delivering services to clients and patients in a consistent, modern manner were the priorities.
The shortlist ultimately narrowed down to two highly viable contenders, both of which were cloud-based PIMS solutions. Both systems demonstrated robust capabilities and offered data lakes that could effectively meet Veterinary United’s requirements.
“Digitail became a clear winner for us for many different reasons. First, they are an independent provider which brings a sense of autonomy and reliability to the table. Digitail addresses our needs comprehensively, from advanced reporting capabilities and data standardization across the network to streamlined cross-training initiatives for the staff.
Finally, its stable pricing model, which allowed payment per DVM rather than based on fluctuating user numbers, was a compelling and cost-effective advantage for us. And, unlike the other PIMS we were considering, it offers integrated client reminders at no extra cost. With a prolonged history of failed reminders at some locations, automating these notifications was crucial to our daily operations. When small things, like client reminders, fail, it’s a death by a thousand cuts.”
Dr. Joshua Gehrke, Chief Veterinary Officer at Veterinary United, commented.
At Veterinary United, the roll-out strategy for Digitail involved a carefully phased approach. One pilot hospital was chosen for initial deployment, subjecting the system to rigorous testing and customization before expanding its implementation to other locations.
“We developed an enterprise-level solution tailored to accommodate the intricacies of each clinic’s workflows.”
“In a veterinary group, clinics can have different operational needs. For example, some hospitals have boarding, while others have leaner teams where a single person may assume multiple roles. Acknowledging the uniqueness of each location, we’ve fine-tuned Digitail to cater to their specific needs.”
explained Janine Malloy, Head of Customer Success at Digitail.
Highlighting the importance of advanced dashboards integrated into the PIMS, Dr. Gehrke noted:
“Now we can get a real-time snapshot of what’s going on with our business, quickly identify trends, gauge efficiency, and make data-driven decisions. Tasks that previously consumed two weeks, such as calculating DVM production, now require just five minutes.”
Digitail has been increasing efficiencies for hospital staff from day one, Dr. Gehrke added.
Veterinarians were especially excited about canned treatment plans with auto-populated fields and the pet parent app for client communication. Speaking of the patient care perspective, Digitail allowed us to make a significant leap in connectivity and convenience. The pet parent app, online scheduling, and texting capabilities facilitate asynchronous communication and open up new avenues for engagement with modern pet owners.”
To ensure a consistent and standardized experience for every employee, Digitail developed an online training platform for Veterinary United team members. This platform incorporates instructional videos and reading materials that guide users through the system and its functionality, and simplifies the onboarding process for new team members.
Looking ahead, Veterinary United is excited to explore additional capabilities of Digitail, such as the AI-powered assistant, Tails. Dr. Gehrke is enthusiastic about this new technology:
“Artificial intelligence holds tremendous potential for advancing veterinary medicine. It will make a huge difference in streamlining workflows, enhancing diagnostic capabilities, and improving patient care.”
Another promising aspect is Digitail’s built-in telehealth functionality. From teletriage to rechecks, Dr. Gehrke highlights the potential added value for clients, patients, hospital teams, and business performance:
“With Digitail, we’ll be able to offer virtual care services seamlessly, without the need for additional investments, while generating new revenue streams for Veterinary United. Furthermore, it opens doors to create more remote work opportunities for our employees, a development they will undoubtedly appreciate.”
With Digitail, Veterinary United built a solid foundation to further scale its operations without requiring significant changes or investments in new systems. Unified practice management software successfully addressed the core issues that previously hindered their growth and operational efficiency.
As the group’s journey toward building a cohesive, resilient, and scalable organization with Digitail is still continuing, Veterinary United is well-equipped to embrace the future with confidence, knowing that their patients and clients will receive the best care possible, today and for years to come.
Read the full case study here: https://join.digitail.io/building-resilience-with-digitail-veterinary-united-success-story.
