In the heart of California’s central coast lies Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic, where practice manager Michelle Wright orchestrates a harmonious blend of compassionate care and operational finesse. Transitioning from human medicine to managing this five-doctor practice, Michelle embodies a commitment to growth and empowerment.

We spoke to Michelle to uncover how Instinct EMR helped PBVC revolutionize their day-to-day. From their first brush with Instinct Treatment Plan to the streamlined setup of EMR, Michelle sheds light on their transition into more efficient practice operations.

About Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic 

PBVC is an AAHA-accredited five-doctor general practice based in Pismo Beach, a classic beach town on the central coast of California. The hospital offers specialty services like dentistry, laser therapy, and emergency care, as well as grooming and wellness plans. 

Most employees of the practice tend to have long tenure (between 5-15 years!) compared to many other practices in the field, stemming from the hospital’s commitment to a culture of compassion, respect, and transparency. 

For Michelle, every day in practice looks different: marketing, budgeting, payroll, HR, and more, all rolled into one—with a lot of collaboration with the clinic’s practice owner. 

Prior to entering veterinary medicine, Michelle spent over 20 years working in a variety of settings in human medicine.

“I actually started out in human insurance, and I did a little bit of everything,” Michelle said. “I started as a claims analyst and ended up as a regional customer service manager. I worked a short stint at the local blood bank. And then I worked for an ophthalmology office. Then I got the opportunity to move over here 7 years ago and absolutely love it.

“My favorite part of the job is seeing my staff grow and learn, become empowered by their knowledge, and find satisfaction in their positions.” 

Quick-Fire Questions with PBVC Practice Manager Michelle Wright, CVPM, SHRM

Questions have been edited for clarity and length.

Instinct: How did you first hear about Instinct? 

Michelle: Our medical director was just doing a blanket internet search for digital whiteboards a few years ago. 

We had a more basic PIMS, and it didn’t have anything like Instinct’s Treatment Sheets. We were growing, and we really needed something more comprehensive that would help us keep better track of records and capture items on invoices.

We did demos with the Instinct team and really loved the flexibility in setup, the modern and cloud-based system, the commitment to innovation, and, of course, the ease it brought while transitioning from paper sheets. 

Now we’ve been using the Treatment Plan for 3 years, and we just came onto EMR a couple of months ago! 

Instinct: Were there any learnings from your recent EMR implementation that other hospitals might find helpful?

Michelle: Don’t be afraid to ask questions early on! Get into Instinct’s sandbox and actually test things out ASAP—with the whole team. 

This transition is one of the most successful implementations I’ve ever been part of—Katherine, Polaris, and the whole Instinct team were incredible. 

The spreadsheets the Instinct team sends out with timelines and prep work are SO helpful, as was doing data dumps to bring information in from old systems. 

I also recommend buying big tablets for using Ax mode! 

Instinct: How are you and your colleagues using Instinct since coming onto EMR? 

Michelle: For me, Instinct is a tool to help my entire team do their jobs more easily. 

On a regular basis, I’m reviewing revenue, entering this into QuickBooks and banking accounts, pulling analytics, reviewing no-shows and cancellations, and tracking patient trends to help us better prepare our weeks. I use the task manager and Comm Log a lot too.

Our technicians use Instinct with every client to create charts, estimates, and invoices; review patient histories; refill medications; and more. All day, every day they’re in Instinct—it’s our essential platform. 

Instinct: How has your work changed since migrating to Instinct EMR? 

Michelle: In EMR, having everything in one place is actually fantastic—information for the practice, patient, appointment, revenue—it’s all in one place, and I know where to get it, essentially saving me a ton of time and helping me avoid reporting heartaches. 

For me, being able to work from home is also hugely easier—I can access my work remotely AND reduce our working hours with our whole patient experience moving more quickly. 

Overall, Instinct has had the biggest positive impact on the timeliness and efficiency of our treatments. The built-in calculators are also a great safety feature!

The time savings we get from Instinct give our staff more time to focus on the things that matter, like customer and patient care, training, and engagement with other teammates. 

Instinct: What’s your favorite part of working with Instinct? 

Michelle: It gets better and better, and as we partner together more, it’s exciting to see even more potential of what we can do. And I can’t say enough about the people at Instinct. We trust your team more than any other provider ever.

Instinct: If you could snap your fingers and create anything to make your role easier, what magical solution would you summon beyond Instinct?  

Michelle: I would create a mirror that would allow my staff to see themselves as I see them. They are incredibly hard on themselves and they shouldn’t be—they are truly fantastic people!

Related Article: Case Study: How Vets Pets Uses Instinct EMR to Modernize Hospitals Across Their Network

Instinct: What advice do you have for others considering Instinct?

Michelle: Truly give it a try. Talk to people who have it now and see how it’s changed their lives. Hearing and seeing success stories of other practices really solidified our decision.

In 2024, we are hoping to continue to perfect our handling of each client, make work as seamless as possible for our staff, and grow with our community by offering new and innovative services, and we’re excited for Instinct to grow with us. 

If you’re curious about how Instinct Treatment Plan or our complete EMR platform could support your practice, reach out and request a demo.