Because
arthritis
affects
one
in
five
dogs,
your
practice
needs
reminder
initiatives
that
will
help
you
do
a
better
job
with
follow-
up
care.
1
Don't
let
clients
dismiss
arthritis
as
an
inevitable
sign
of
aging.
Offer
these
solutions:
Create
disease-management
exams.
Once
you
diagnose
a
pet
with
a
chronic
condition,
talk
with
the
client
about
treatment
solutions
and
the
frequency
of
follow-up
care.
Set
expectations
on
the
day
of
diagnosis.
You
may
want
to
reassess
a
dog
with
arthritis
every
six
months,
while
a
cat
with
renal
disease
is
seen
every
three
months.
To
get
started,
identify
the
top
10
chronic
conditions
you
diagnose
such
as
renal
disease,
cardiac
conditions,
diabetes,
arthritis,
and
thyroid
problems. During
today's
checkout,
switch
the
patient
from
a
preventive
to
disease-management
exam.
The
exam
code
will
remind
based
on
the
interval
the
veterinarian
sets.
Forward
book
the
next
exam
today
so
you
may
provide
optimal
disease
management.
Use
benefit
statements
to
lead
the
client
to
commit
to
future
care.
Say,
"Because
Buster
was
diagnosed
with
arthritis
today,
the
doctor
will
need
to
examine
him
every
six
months.
Let's
schedule
his
next
disease-
management
exam
so
we
may
successfully
manage
his
arthritis.
Six
months
from
today
would
be
April
9.
Dr.
could
see
Buster
at
10
a.m.,
Thursday,
April
9
or
3
p.m.
Friday,
April
10.
Which
do
you
prefer?"
The
timing
of
twice-a-year
exams
also
may
coincide
with
drug-monitoring
testing
for
dogs
on
non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory
(NSAID)
medications.
Set
reminders
for
drug-monitoring
testing. When
nurses
fill
NSAIDs,
they
should
enter
reminders
for
the
lab
test
that
will
be
due
in
six
months.
When
you
proactively
remind
for
lab
tests,
you'll
avoid
arguments
around
declining
refills
due
to
overdue
blood
work.
Send
refill
reminders
for
NSAIDs
before
it
runs
out.
Avoid
the
hassle
of
"emergency
refills"
when
clients
call
after
the
medication
is
empty.
If
the
client
buys
a
one-month
supply,
the
nurse
will
set
a
reminder
for
23
days
when
seven
doses
will
remain.
The
client
will
receive
email,
text,
or
app
refill
notices
through
your
practice-management
software
or
third-party
provider.
Have
nurses
enter
the
number
of
refills
available.
If
the
veterinarian
wants
to
perform
a
blood
test
every
six
months
and
the
nurse
is
filling
a
one-
month
supply,
five
refills
will
remain.
The
number
of
refills
will
print
on
each
prescription
label,
letting
the
client
see
the
countdown
of
5,
4,
3,
2,
and
1
refill
left.
While
veterinarians
will
need
to
approve
each
refill,
don't
punish
clients
with
long
hold
times
on
the
phone
while
you
play
"find-the-doctor
game."
Note
the
number
of
available
refills
in
electronic
medical
records.
Tell
the
pet
owner,
"You
have
five
refills
available.
What
time
do
you
want
to
pick
up
your
pet's
medication?
I
will
have
the
doctor
confirm
the
refill.
I
will
only
call
you
if
the
doctor
has
any
questions
or
concerns.
Otherwise,
we
will
see
you
at
