Courtesy veterinary transportation for customers and their family pets

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Visiting the veterinarian can be a substantial obstacle for individuals with movement problems however Dr Michael Woodcock has actually discovered a service. By Frank Leggett

There are lots of methods to return to the neighborhood however Dr Michael Woodcock has actually created a unique technique. Dr Woodcock owns 5 practices on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, situated at Nambour, Marcoola, Buderim, Caloundra and Battery Hill. While they previously ran under various names, they are now branded as Suncoast Vet.

As part of the marriage of the 5 practices, Dr Woodcock chose to carry out an audit of all their customers. Some of the veterinarians had actually seen that numerous routine customers had actually simply dropped off the radar.

“They were people who valued the interaction with our staff and vice versa,” says Dr Woodcock. “I really wanted to get to the bottom of why we weren’t seeing them anymore. My biggest concern was that we were doing something wrong.”

He had his business supervisor, Luis Marquez, do a little examining. What Marquez found was unexpected.

“We found that many of our clients were simply unable to physically travel to any of our clinics,” says Marquez. “Some were seniors who had lost their driving licence, some had developed conditions like Alzheimer’s, some had family move away, and some were physically disabled. The common denominator was that they had no access to readily available transport for them and their pets.”

Identifying the issue

While the kinds of movement problems were differed, the primary factors these customers had actually stopped concerning the center was that they didn’t have access to a car, they didn’t drive and they discovered it hard to ask pals or family for help. At the very same time, they were missing out on the engagement with veterinarians and nurses, talking about and treating their cherished animal.

“One of our clients would bring homemade muffins for the vets and nurses every time she visited,” says Marquez. “We discovered she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia and could no longer cook or drive. Unknown to us, one of our nurses was using her own car to pick up and return this client’s pet on her own time.”

Marquez connected to these customers to go over how they might enhance their circumstance. The agreement was that the very best option would be if they and their animal—and carer when ideal—might be gotten, required to the center and returned home later on. What likewise ended up being apparent was that a lot of these customers were lonesome and deeply was sorry for being not able to keep their relationship with the veterinary staff.

The option

In reaction, Dr Woodcock and Luis Marquez produced the Suncoast Vet Courtesy Veterinary Transport. It’s a totally geared up van for usage by customers who utilize wheelchairs or have movement problems. It can likewise be accessed by individuals who are not able to drive, set up transportation or are socially separated. The Hyundai van has a wheelchair lift and sufficient room to fit whatever movement help are required.

“People living with dementia are often assisted by a carer and it was imperative that there was room for them,” says Dr Woodcock. “There’s extra seats in the van for whoever needs to come along on the appointment.”

People helping might be family, pals, carers or social employees. They are really welcome to participate in the appointment with the customer. 

“The driver of the van is fully trained in operating the wheelchair lift and can help take the client inside and return them to the van after the appointment,” says Marquez.

How it works

To make use of the service, the customer merely calls the practice and arranges a hassle-free day and time for pick-up. The van is not an animal taxi or an emergency situation service vehicle—it’s particularly developed to take qualified individuals to their pre-arranged veterinary appointment. 

Suncoast Vet sent out info e-mails to all their customers in October 2022. The service started running in November of that year and had 5 reservations in the very first week. The goal is to have a 2nd van by June 2023.

“We’ve considered every aspect of the service,” says Marquez. “Our goal is to facilitate the interaction of mobility-challenged clients and our staff. While the feedback from users is extremely positive, it makes our staff feel fulfilled too. This service is a unique opportunity to reinvent the way we do things.”

Covering expenses

The Courtesy Veterinary Transport service is complimentary for the customer; they simply pay their typical veterinary charges. The cost of the service is covered by Dr Woodcock.

“I’m fortunate to be in a position where I own five veterinary practices,” he says. “This is a way for me to give back to the community. The service is entirely local, covering the suburbs our practices service. We’ve started with the one van to see if it’s a success and to let it grow organically. Though I have to say, I’m pretty certain that eventually we’re going to need multiple vans.”

The truth that there is an area of the neighborhood that loses out on interaction with their veterinarians and associated staff is a disaster—not simply for the customers however for their family pets too. The Courtesy Veterinary Transport is an efficient method to help these individuals take control of their lives and get self-reliance. There can be little doubt that it will bring in brand-new customers to Suncoast Vet, especially by word of mouth.

Dr Woodcock is really positive about the future of the service. “When people with mobility issues can effectively visit their veterinary clinic, there are no negatives. It’s a positive for the client, their family and friends, the vets and veterinary staff, and the pets.”