Here at Instinct, we’re all about smart hacks and simple tools that help improve efficiency and streamline workflows in veterinary hospitals.
Makes sense, right? After all, that’s the foundation of our easy-to-use, smile-inducing practice management software, Instinct EMR.
With every go-live, we see how veterinary hospitals worldwide are innovating to solve the inefficiencies we all face in practice. We’ve written about several of these workflow hacks already. This time, we’re focusing on one—because, yeah, it’s that good.
Nowadays, it's hard to imagine a day in practice that doesn't involve working at a computer at least once. More and more, veterinary teams need efficient and convenient access to electronic medical records and treatment sheets.
In a busy veterinary hospital setting, time is of the essence, and having access to patient information at your fingertips is critical.
One tool that has become increasingly popular in the veterinary industry for solving this problem is the COW. (No, not this one:🐄) We're talking about those delightful wheeled stands that turn practice workstations into mobile productivity units for accessing electronic records and treatment sheets. You might have heard it called a laptop cart, but we prefer COW: Computer-on-Wheels.
Meet the COW, a mobile workhorse for a fast-paced environment 🐄
COWs are wheeled carts designed to hold a laptop or tablet device, allowing veterinary staff to move the device from room to room or cage to cage as needed. This makes it easier and more convenient to do cage rounds, care for patients, and fill out electronic anesthesia sheets. In addition, having instant access to medical records and treatment sheets can improve workflow and communication among veterinary staff.
💻+🛞 = Your patient care companion
One of the biggest benefits of using a COW in a veterinary hospital is its ability to enhance patient care. With a COW, veterinary nurses and technicians can efficiently complete treatments as they move from patient to patient. This eliminates the need to return to a central location to enter data, which can save time and improve accuracy.
In addition, having a COW available during exams and procedures can be a game-changer. Rather than worrying about filling out a paper treatment sheet, you can access the anesthesia mode and treatment sheets without leaving the patient. This helps eliminate written errors and means you don't have to upload paper records into your practice software.
COWs can also be a valuable tool for improving accessibility in veterinary hospitals. By providing mobile access to electronic records and treatment sheets, COWs can make it easier for staff members to provide care in locations that may not have easy access to traditional computer stations. This can be especially helpful in emergencies or when working with patients in areas not generally designated for patient care.
If you want to improve workflow and communication, try a COW. Or better yet, get a whole herd. We recommend this one from Ergotron. These simple carts provide a flexible and mobile solution for accessing electronic records and treatment sheets, making it easier to care for patients and complete the necessary paperwork in real time. As we all know, even a little efficiency can go a long way in a busy veterinary hospital.
What are your favorite hacks to make veterinary practice more efficient? Connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn—we’d love to hear yours!