Long Communications
query_statsFree Analysis
Systems

Does your phone know who's calling? Linking phones to RoboVet, Merlin, Provet and the rest

By , Long Communications

Flow: the client rings, the phone system matches the number, the practice system finds the record and shows it on screen before reception answers

Key points

  • Common UK practice systems include RoboVet, RxWorks, Teleos, Merlin, Provet Cloud, ezyVet, Animana and VetIT.
  • Linking the phone to the practice system can show the client and pet record before answering, log calls and turn missed calls into call-back tasks.
  • Cloud practice systems are generally easier to link than systems installed in the practice.
  • Always ask a supplier exactly which system they link to and what the link does.

A worried owner rings. Before the receptionist says hello, the screen shows: Bella, eight-year-old Labrador, seen last Thursday for a limp, owner Mrs Patel, usual vet Sarah. The call starts with "Hi Mrs Patel, how's Bella's leg?" instead of "Can I take your surname and postcode?"

That is what linking your phones to your practice system can do.

The practice systems UK vets use

Every practice runs on a practice management system: the clinical record, booking diary, pharmacy stock and till in one. The common ones in the UK are:

System Owned by Type
RoboVet Covetrus Long-established, licence-based
RxWorks Covetrus Licence-based
Merlin MWI Animal Health Cloud
Provet Cloud Nordhealth Cloud
ezyVet IDEXX Cloud
Animana IDEXX Cloud
Teleos UK company Long-established
VetIT UK company Cloud

Cloud systems are generally easier to link to phones and other tools, because they offer modern connections for other software.

Mock-up of a practice system screen showing the caller's name, pet, last visit, usual vet and vaccinations due

What linking phones and practice system can do

Feature What staff get Example
Screen pop The client and pet record appears before answering SONIQ with ezyVet; VIP VoIP with Animana
Click to dial Call a client with one click from their record VIP VoIP with Animana
Automatic call notes Each call logged against the client record SONIQ with ezyVet
Missed call to task A missed call creates a call-back task SONIQ with ezyVet
Recognised-caller routing Inpatient owners or plan members routed differently Where the phone can look up the record
Call reporting Missed calls and busy times per site Most cloud phone systems

The tools around it

The phone isn't the only way to take pressure off reception:

  • Online booking that reads the live diary, such as Vetstoria, which links to RoboVet, Merlin, Provet Cloud, Teleos, VetIT and others.
  • Two-way messaging, built into some systems (Merlin includes it) or through apps.
  • Online prescription requests, increasingly important under the new prescription rules.
  • Payment links, so clients can pay without phoning.

Questions to ask any phone supplier

Many suppliers say they "integrate with all the popular vet systems". Ask exactly:

  1. Which practice system, and which version, do you link to?
  2. Does it show the record before answering, or only after?
  3. Are calls logged against the client record automatically?
  4. Do missed calls create tasks in the practice system?
  5. Can I speak to a practice using the same combination?

Five questions to ask any phone supplier about linking to your practice system

What this means for your phones

  • Find out whether your practice system is cloud-based or installed in the practice.
  • Check whether your current phone supplier links to it.
  • If you're changing practice system, change the phone set-up at the same time: one disruption, not two.
  • Start with screen pop and missed-call tasks; they give the quickest return.

How does your practice compare?

The "Your practice system and communications" section of my check takes about two minutes.

It takes about two minutes.

See how your practice handles this – 2 minutes

Frequently asked questions

Can a vet phone system integrate with practice management software?
Yes, in many cases. Examples include SONIQ with ezyVet, which shows the client and pet record before answering and logs calls, and VIP VoIP with IDEXX Animana, which offers screen pop and click to dial.
What is a screen pop for vets?
When a client rings, the phone system matches their number to the practice system and shows their record on screen: owner, pet, vet, last visit and vaccinations due.
Which practice management systems do UK vets use?
Common systems include RoboVet and RxWorks (Covetrus), Merlin (MWI Animal Health), Provet Cloud (Nordhealth), ezyVet and Animana (IDEXX), Teleos and VetIT.
Do I need to change my practice system to link my phones?
Not necessarily. Check what your current system can link to first. If you are planning to change system anyway, change the phone set-up at the same time.

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