Dr. Aaron Smiley, veterinarian at the Devonshire Veterinary Clinic and Geist Animal Hospital, constantly worried about being the bad guy. Whether it was a follow-up question or to get peace of mind about a new issue, the fact remained that clients regularly texted him before, after or during office hours. This put him in the precarious position of having to sort out payment for these impromptu services. Then, he started using Direct Health.

“Direct Health (now called Direct Health) makes [consulting via text message] so much less painful because they take care of the payment. So, as the veterinarian, I never have to feel like the bad guy.” Dr. Smiley said, “Direct Health takes care of all the payment and that’s a big deal to me.”

With Direct Health, veterinarians have the ability to set their consultation rate for text, phone or video chat visits done on the app. When a consultation ends, the client is automatically sent a bill for service. That’s it! There are no uncomfortable conversations with clients about payment, everything is handled by Direct Health. A new update even gives vets the option of changing their rate to accommodate consults on the weekend, after-hours or visits of varying acuity.

Direct Health Gives Veterinarians Even More Value

Because visits on Direct Health are typically done in clients’ homes, veterinarians like Dr. Smiley get unique access to the patients in their usual surroundings. Using the phone’s camera, Dr. Smiley can see an animal’s behavior at home, which helps in providing accurate diagnoses and ensuring that therapies are administered correctly.

“I get access to even more and better information that I can use to treat that pet.” Dr. Smiley told Direct Health.

By taking advantage of veterinary telemedicine, Dr. Smiley ensures that patient outcomes rival and, in some cases, even surpass in-office care.

Owners Love Direct Health for Veterinary Care

For owners, there’s nothing more stressful than having to get the family together, securely crate their pet and drive across town to see the vet. Direct Health completely removes this hassle and makes veterinary consults painless. Simple follow-up visits can be done entirely on the app. And, if concerns come up after-hours or on the weekend, clients can easily log in to the Direct Health app. This gives owners peace of mind from their veterinarian without having to visit an emergency center.

Since Direct Health and veterinary telehealth are still a new concept, some clients feel unsure about using a mobile app. However, as soon as they go on Direct Health, they immediately start to see the value and convenience of the platform. Dr. Smiley‘s patients are extremely receptive to Direct Health because it offers unparalleled access to him and other veterinarians in the practice.

“When patients get into the app and actually start using it, I’ve had tons of positive feedback because of the access owners have to the veterinarians.”

You can find more information on Direct Health and how it can help you expand your practice by downloading the app today.