We’ve all thought about moving to an island… right? Being away from the hustle and bustle of the city could be a dream. But, as a veterinarian, you wouldn’t want to miss out on caring for the pet clients that add purpose to your work.
Island Veterinary Service (IVS) was able to be that lighthouse of care to communities of Casco Bay, Maine.
Operating since 2003, Dr. Kate Domenico became the sole owner and veterinarian of IVS in 2023, providing quality care to over 400 pets living on the Southern coast of Maine. Traveling between 10 different islands with her staff on their 27ft boat, the Rita Joan, IVS provides a variety of care for a variety of patients within the comfort of their homes (or docks).
“We love the clients and pets who trust us with their care,” says Liberty Chestnut, veterinary assistant with IVS. “The islands we service are unique, tight-knit communities that have truly made us feel like family.”
From stacks of paper to streamlined online records and appointments
There’s an inherent challenge when operating from a boat: a significant reduction in storage space. This is one of the reasons why IVS made the switch to DaySmart Vet in the summer of 2023 after relying on paper records for many years. “By getting rid of paper records, we have been able to save physical storage space, create better health records, track inventory, communicate with clients better, take profile pictures of pets, and so much more.”
DaySmart Vet’s automated reminders have proven helpful in keeping clients engaged by notifying them of upcoming services due for their pets, such as physicals, vaccines, and lab work. With the help of these modern veterinary technologies, IVS was able to make the most of planning their inter-island trips, making efficient use of their time so they can focus on maximizing their appointments with patients.
“We have significantly increased our client/patient retention with better communication and reminder systems,” stated Chestnut.
Liberty Chestnut, Veterinary Assistant with Island Veterinary Service
“With improved communication that can reach further and wider than before, we have been able to increase our number of clients, patients, and the number of appointments.”
Building a community of loyal clients
Some of these island communities have fewer than 60 year-round residents, so it is pertinent to be able to communicate effectively with them. Having these automated reminders and multiple ways to communicate with them has helped with retention and growth for IVS.
“What used to be an average of 10-15 appointments monthly during the [slower] winter months is now upwards of 25-30 appointments per month. Especially in our summer months, we have gained multiple new island clients and patients, increasing from around 250 active patients during the summer of 2023 to almost 400 patients during the summer of 2024.”
These automated reminders also help reduce no-shows and the amount of paperwork that occurs daily. DaySmart Vet provided IVS with access to all patient records on the boat, facilitated collaboration with staff via shared notes, and monitored inventory for trends to help identify areas of growth and improvement.
Advice for other veterinarians
When thinking about opening your own practice, there are a few things to consider.
Aside from using cloud-based software, like DaySmart Vet, consider building a diverse team around you: “With diversity of knowledge and skills, yet a shared sense of meaning and motivation behind their work, a [diverse] team can provide the best service to clients and the very best medicine to patients.”
Being able to focus on creating long-lasting relationships without the hassle of managing multiple practice management systems is what DaySmart does best.
Still wondering if using cloud-based software is the right move for your practice? Explore the different ways our all-in-one solution can help your practice excel.