Veterinary Software Management Solutions. Electronic technology has innovated the field of veterinary medicine. Like in human

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1 Last Name 1 Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Veterinary Software Management Solutions Electronic technology has innovated the field of veterinary medicine. Like in human practice, the importance of good IT solutions are critical in veterinary practices as well to ensure continuity of care. Three of the main software solutions for veterinary medicine practices are VetStar, AVImark and VetBlue Clinic. 1. Vetstar Custom Reporting VETSTAR Custom Reporting was created to for hospitals to be able to create a number of different formats for reports to ensure the most effective communication with their clientele. Vetstar reports may differ for different veterinarians and they include only those parts of the medical record that is applicable to the request for information. The software includes a function which allows reports to be quickly faxed or ed to the appropriate contact person automatically based on preprogrammed commands. Founded in 1983, Advanced Technology Corporation (ATC), VetStar s Parent Company began with the mission of software development focusing on ProIV, a fourth generation computer language. Concentrating on the veterinary sector since the late 1980 s they produce VetStar, their veterinary Hospital Management System and VADDS a Laboratory Information Management System. The features of Vetstar include auditing, appointment scheduling,

2 Last Name 2 boarding, business office management, general ledger functions, imaging management, impatient processing, inventory control, marketing, medical records, purchase orders, time card processing, price control methods and the ability to make referrals to outside veterinarians. The pro s listed for VetStar include, a fully integrated accounting module, consulting services, hardware specific assistance, modem configuration, software installation, onsite and remote training, preloading services. The con s listed for VetStar include no automatic update, only yearly updates, support is not offered 24-7 and hours are limited to weekday work hours and the system can t restore a huge data base so if it is not backed up elsewhere there is the risk of data loss if the integrity of the data storage system is lost. 2. AVImark The AVImark Veterinary Software System prides itself on having the most functions available to provide the user with a wide an array of possible options for generating the desired report with the expected information presented in the manner intended. AVImark also has simplified menu screens to make the experience of utilizing the softare as user friendly as possible. AVImark was developed by McAllister Software Systems, Inc. in 1988 as part of their group of veterinary software offerings for the animal health industry. This company is a part of Henry Schein Animal Health family. The company provides services to 10,000 customers over 9,500 of which are clinics in Canada and the United States. AVIMark obtains consistently high rankings in peer to peer surveys year after year (Bloomberg). AVImark has a number of useful features including billing, scheduling, patient management, security of records, reports, and client

3 Last Name 3 information display, a comprehensive treatment list and dental chart. Most important feature is a mobile clinic in which no one has to carry paper records when a patient visits The pro s listed on many sites for AVIMark (e.g.capterra), include that it is intuitive, easy to learn, customizable, has popular features including Who Got List and glossary, during work hours tech support are accessible, with remote service and chat services available. Some of the con s listed on these sites include that some modules cumbersome (e.g. SOAP), at times the program has difficulty handling high volume resulting in errors, since it is meant to be used with an accounting program, the software doesn t have the ability to provide a full financial report, it doesn t work as well on wireless systems as on wired systems, tech support is relatively expensive and have limited hours, (hours for specialists who can help with less common complaints even more limited), no 24 hour emergency service 3. Vetblue Vetblue Clinic is a cost effective, cloud based, security system which prevents network and firewall breaches. It also has a highly advanced data protection plan available and a data recovery option should the worst happen and data is lost. Data access technology provides the assurance that the information that healthcare decisions are based on is presented in real time and is up to date. This flexible software package can be adapted to any size and type of veterinary practice. Vetblue Clinic was developed and marketed by FirmCloud a corporation founded with the intention of producing cloud based solutions intended for businesses of all sizes. Incorporated in 2008, FirmCloud s goal was to adapt automation and integration methods traditionally used for big business for small and medium size firms in a cost effective manner. Vetblue was released in

4 Last Name 4 May of Features that are available with Vetblue include simple scheduling, automatic reminders, paperless billing, and professional client tools. The Pro s listed for Vetblue include that it is an integrated, web-hosted solution, can be used for single or multi facility practices, system can be used for small animal, equine, or farm based veterinary practices, hosted on a reliable and secure business software platform that can handle millions of users, compatible with Macs and Windows. The Con s for Vetblue include that you have to upgrade through the internet so you are responsible for keeping up with updates, if you are away from the office you can only access it with 3G or 4G technology.

5 Last Name 5 Works Cited Bloomberg Business Week. Company Overview of McAllister Software Systems, Inc. 7 July Web. 7 July Capterra Reviews of the Best Systems. Top Veterinary Software Products Web.7 July Cougias, Dorian J. The Backup Book Disaster Recovery from Desktop to Data Center. FirmCloud - Helping you Navigate the Cloud. VetBlue Veterinary Software Web. 7 July Lecanto, Floyd: Schaser-Vartan Books Print. Peden, Ann. Comparative Health Information Management. Cengage Learning, 28 June 2011.Print. Veterinary Software Reviews. Veterinary Software Features Web. 7 July 2014