In fast-paced veterinary practices, it has become normal for busy staff to struggle to keep track of every patient. Have you spent time looking for a patient that has not yet been admitted, or already been discharged? What about asking round to find out the status of a patient you admitted earlier in the day? Or trying to find out when there will be theatre space for an urgent op? And that’s before we start asking whether this morning’s TPLO has had his pain relief yet, because he’s howling the kennels down, or there’s a question over whether yesterday’s ex-lap has passed faeces yet. But while this may have become normalised, you and your team simply don't need to continue working in this way. 

There are numerous examples of software for veterinary clinics – and we know that everyone wants to persuade you that their offering will change the way you work. Given the range of products on offer and the fact that no one solution ticks all of the boxes, many practices put off adopting new software and instead continue to rely on practice management systems that don’t do some of the core things that they need to run their day.

But if you and your team are finding that there is room for improvement in the day-to-day management of the workflow in your practice, the good news is that help is at hand by adopting the right technology – and one of the most powerful tools is whiteboard software. 

What is veterinary whiteboard software?

Digital whiteboard technology provides your team with instant access to an array of information in real-time, minimising miscommunication and ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding each patient's treatment needs. This type of software is designed to cater for all different sizes of practice, helping everyone to understand the precise status of every patient at a glance. 

If you're thinking: "wait, isn't this just a digitised version of an old-fashioned whiteboard with dry-wipe markers?", you're on the right track, but this type of software has so much more to offer. Whiteboard software doesn't just replace whiteboards, it also replaces paper records such as hospital sheets, GA sheets, consent forms and other forms for internal use, checklists and record books.

What are the benefits of veterinary whiteboard software?

Yes, old-fashioned whiteboards and dry-erase markers have helped team members to communicate for decades. However, information can sometimes get lost in translation or even completely miscommunicated entirely. After all, emergency situations can and do arise, and everyone is faced with competing priorities that they need to juggle throughout the day. Using whiteboard software means that everything that's planned and anything that is rescheduled is always immediately updated and visible at a glance to the whole team. 

The segregation and localised availability of traditional whiteboard and paper information can have a negative impact on the day-to-day running of a practice, and adopting a digitised system can have a hugely beneficial impact on each element of your practice every single day. So, here are just a few of the primary advantages of adopting this new way of working. 

1. Whiteboard software is a time-saver

Digitised whiteboards can be used to create far more efficient daily processes simply by ensuring that your team always has access to every piece of information they need to perform at their best. This process of information sharing will ultimately allow everyone to make faster and more accurate decisions that will benefit patients and team morale.

With a digital workflow solution there is no need to spend time drawing up whiteboards at the start of each day, only to erase them a few hours later, potentially losing valuable information. In addition, yesterday’s ward sheet tasks for an inpatient can be copied at the click or tap of a button and then rapidly edited to suit any changes in management for the current day.

Treatment templates for different types of case, such as ‘vomiting dog’, ‘bitch spay’ or ‘TPLO,’ can be preconfigured by the practice and applied to a patient within seconds, either before, during or after admission. This not only speeds up the process but also aids accurate communication and the adherence to particular practice protocols.

Handovers are made more efficient, as all the tasks required across the practice are presented in chronological order in a filterable list, showing the most urgent tasks first. And the laborious scanning of paper records becomes a thing of the past.

2. Whiteboard software offers real-time information

In any busy practice, there can be a delay in passing on important information. Digital whiteboards streamline the internal communication process, and all members of staff can view, update, and share patient information and tasks in real-time. Everything planned, done and recorded for each patient goes straight onto the software, in real time. The right choice of solution also gives you a ‘traffic light’ system, allowing everyone in the team to see at a glance which tasks are in-progress, due, overdue, and completed. 

3. Whiteboard software can enable your practice to go paperless

In addition to reducing the amount of paper waste your practice is generating, the process of digitising all clinical documents, including hospital sheets and clinical notes, will ensure that this important information is immediately visible to all team members. There are lots of other advantages to going paperless too – click here to read more.

4. Whiteboard software is available to use anywhere

Whether you want to use tablets, laptops, desktops or even smart TVs, whiteboard software is extremely versatile and will provide every member of your team with access to the information they need wherever they are. And it’s all safely and securely backed up in the cloud, so you won’t lose it as you might have done when the Labrador in kennel 7 decided to eat his chart, or when the pieces of paper for one patient got caught up inside the sheaf of notes for another... 

5. Whiteboard software improves patient care

Patients and their care sit at the heart of every practice and, as whiteboard software allows every member of your team to accurately track all elements of each patient's care in real-time, this can really boost the level of care you can deliver. The system also gives you timely prompts that are specific to each individual patient, ensuring that essential treatment steps are always delivered precisely on time.

Templated treatment plans, inbuilt checklists and drug calculators, automated charting of patient assessment parameters, critical value alerts and the ability to upload photos and videos straight into a patient’s record all help the team to deliver top-quality patient care.

So what are you waiting for?

Plexi's modern, user-friendly workflow software is equipped with all the features busy clinics need to ensure the effective management of their everyday processes. Do you like what you see so far? We'd love to show you more - get in touch with our friendly team for more information!