Scheduling an appointment with your vet has always been a tedious task for pet owners. The traditional method of scheduling appointments usually involves long wait times on hold, playing phone tag with clinics, and struggling to find a time that fits your busy schedule.

However, with the advent of online scheduling, things have become much easier, more convenient, and more efficient.

At Chckup, we are leading the charge in online scheduling technology for veterinary practices. Our innovative platform is changing the way pet owners book appointments and veterinary practices manage their schedules.

By offering an intuitive and user-friendly interface, pet parents can select the best date and time for their appointment and receive instant confirmation of their booking. 

Pet parents clearly prefer having the ability to schedule their own vet appointments for their pets vs. being required to contact their vet clinic to set an appointment. In a recent survey, 77% indicated this as their preference.

Significantly, 70% of pet owners also indicated they would be more likely to choose a vet practice that offers them the ability to schedule, change, and cancel their appointments online.

The online scheduling process is not only easy for pet owners, but it's also a game-changer for vet practices.

With Chckup's scheduling software, practices can manage their schedules in real-time, allowing them to take control of their day-to-day operations. They can easily add or remove appointments, set their availability, and even block out time for personal or administrative tasks.

This flexibility enables veterinary practices to be more efficient, saving them time and effort while also providing them with a better work-life balance.

Additionally, online scheduling is not only convenient for pet parents and practices but also for the veterinary medicine industry as a whole.

By streamlining the appointment scheduling process, we are helping vet practices reduce costs and increase efficiency, which ultimately leads to better outcomes for clients and their furry friends. The use of online scheduling has been shown to result in higher client satisfaction rates, fewer missed appointments, and increased revenue.

The Impact of Online Scheduling

All Creatures Animal Hospital a practice in Wauchula, Florida has recently enjoyed great success scheduling a significant number of appointments using Chckup’s scheduling platform. All Creatures Animal Hospital is an excellent example of what can happen when clients are given the ability to schedule appointments whenever and wherever they wish.

According to Brandy McMahon, Chief Information Officer at All Creatures Animal Hospital, “Using Chckup has been great, and clients have been using it too. I looked at the appointments on the dashboard and there are quite a few on there. So that's just one less phone call that we have to make. Overall, I think it's helped us tremendously and will continue to help us in the future. I’m really pleased with Chckup” 

After their first month of using Chckup, All Creatures Animal Hospital booked 36 appointments using Chckup, 9 of which were new clients. Booking 36 appointments would have normally required dozens of phone calls and multiple attempts over several days, all done easily and instantly with Chckup.

The benefits of online scheduling extend beyond just booking appointments. This technology can also help practices provide better care for their patients.

For instance, by collecting client information and pet medical history during the booking process, practices can prepare for the visit and make better-informed decisions. Additionally, online scheduling can help reduce client wait times, which is a significant factor in client satisfaction.

Online scheduling vs. Appointment requests

Some may wonder whether there is any difference between this method of real-time, online scheduling handled by the client and an online appointment request system, which is when a client submits an appointment request on their vet practice’s website which must then be scheduled and confirmed with the client by someone in the practice. Here’s the difference:

• Real-time online scheduling is just that: real-time. A pet owner visits their vet clinic’s website via their phone or computer (and soon a mobile app), and schedules a day and time that works for them. That’s it. Their appointment is now set. No phone call or email required from the practice in order to confirm the time requested by the patient.

• Online appointment request. Using this method, the practice must still attempt to contact the pet owner and confirm the appointment date and time. This can often require multiple attempts, which is frustrating for both the pet owner and the practice. This method also locks up that appointment time until it is either confirmed or rejected. Most concerning of all, 85% of online appointment requests end up not getting scheduled!

In conclusion, online scheduling is revolutionizing the way veterinary practices work, making it easier for pet owners to book appointments, and enhancing the overall VetMed experience.

The use of online scheduling technology not only saves time and money but also improves patient outcomes and client satisfaction rates. As the veterinary industry continues to evolve, practices must embrace online scheduling technology to stay ahead of the curve and provide the best possible care to their patients.