Lifelong Care, Issue 2

Published by the American Animal Hospital Association with a generous educational grant from

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LifelongCare . . .

Tools Techniques Conversations

Pet Wellness ReportÂŽ Implementation Toolkit

Published by the American Animal Hospital Association with a generous educational grant from

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LifelongCare . . .

Tools Techniques Conversations

Don’t miss Dr. Karen Felsted’s web conference, Implementing a Health Risk Assessment in Your Practice, airing June 2–15.

Dr. Felsted’s presentation can be viewed at aahanet.org/webconf.

Health Risk Assessments

Taking preventive care to the next level

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Published by the American Animal Hospital Association with a generous educational grant from

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LifelongCare . . .

Tools Techniques Conversations

Lifelong Care from Zoetis™ is an initiative providing veterinary practices with educational tools and resources to help move veterinary care toward a healthier proactive model. For more information, go to zoetis.com/lifelongcare.

Pet Wellness Report® Implementation Toolkit

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Published by the American Animal Hospital Association with a generous educational grant from

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LifelongCare . . .

Tools Techniques Conversations

Communicating with Clients Build strong and lasting relationships

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Published by the American Animal Hospital Association with a generous educational grant from

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LifelongCare . . .

Take a Closer Look at Apparently Healthy Pets

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Help Pets Get All the Care They Deserve

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7 Simple Steps to Implementation

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Choose the Right HRA

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Sample Protocol to Implement the PWR

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Assign Staff Roles and Responsibilities

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Get to Know the Pet Wellness Report!

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Workflow Map

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Conversations With Purpose

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PWR Action Plan: Start Now

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Tools Techniques Conversations

Sustaining Success

Your next step in lifelong care.

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2 Lifelong Care

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©2014 American Animal Hospital Association (aahanet.org). All rights reserved.

In Brief The February issue of Lifelong Care emphasized these points:

• According to AAHA’s 2013 State of the Industry report, thriving veterinary practices nurture longterm client relationships that lead to consistent, lifelong preventive care.

• Lifelong Care, an initiative conceived by Zoetis, builds on preventive care. The primary elements of lifelong care are: prevent, detect, and treat.

• A health risk assessment (HRA) is a pet owner communications tool you can use to help uncover pet health care needs and further personalize your pet care recommendations.

• Research in human medicine points to two essential elements, which should be included in every assessment: a comprehensive questionnaire to identify modifiable lifestyle risks and communication and follow-up to help clients accept the findings and act on your recommendations.

What We Mean When We Say HRA A health risk assessment (HRA) is a process, not a questionnaire. Assessment means your thoughtful findings, recommendations, and follow-up are integrated based on the combined results of a lifestyle risk questionnaire, comprehensive lab screening, and client conversations.

It’s a mouthful. So, for simplicity, in Lifelong Care, we use the Pet Wellness Report as an example of a comprehensive health risk assessment.

Of course, every practice will select the HRA that is right for its mission, clients, and patients. The principles and tips in Lifelong Care will support any effective assessment process.

• If you are asking what else your practice can do to improve pets’ health, engage clients, and improve financial performance, the answer is simple: Prevent. Detect. Treat. It’s the foundation of lifelong care.

Read the February issue of Lifelong Care and watch the accompanying web conference at aahanet.org/ Library/Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx.

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Enhancing Preventive Care 3

Q Remember!

The Pet Wellness Report is intended for use in apparently healthy pets because research shows that many of these pets have underlying disease or lifestyle risks that may lead to future problems.

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4 Lifelong Care

Quiz Take a Closer Look at Apparently Healthy Pets

Healthy Pets Happy Families Healthy Practices

A. In a prospective study of 1,421 clinically healthy dogs, what percentage had laboratory values that were deemed significant by their veterinarian? 1 B. In a review of 7,827 cases in which the Pet Wellness Report was used, what percentage of dogs had laboratory screening profiles consistent with a range of medical conditions (such as renal disease, hepatic disease, diabetes mellitus, etc.)? 2 Many apparently healthy pets aren’t as healthy as they appear.

Although many practices try to check in with pet owners regarding their pets’ lifestyle during each visit, we all know some things get missed. That’s why an annual, comprehensive review of each pet’s health is so important. The review should include: • Medical history • Health risk assessment to identify lifestyle risk factors not covered in the medical history • Physical exam • Comprehensive laboratory screening (beyond parasites) Many abnormalities were noted in the laboratory profiles performed on the 7,827 dogs. However, it’s not just the lab work that helped identify potential medical issues; in this study, the HRA questionnaire responses were equally revealing.

Pet benefits: Improved health Longevity Greater comfort

Pet owner benefits: Healthier, happier pet More years with pet

C. According to their owners, what percentage of dogs were off schedule or had missed a dose of their heartworm preventative? 3 D. What percentage had warning signs for oral disease? 4 If you don’t seek, you won’t find. The goal of the combined client questionnaire and comprehensive laboratory testing is to identify hidden health risks before significant signs appear, allowing for earlier intervention and better outcomes.

E. What do you routinely screen for? 5 a. 39.5%; b. 31%; c. 29%; d. 30%; e. 41% of practices routinely obtain a physical history and perform parasite screening, and 7% of practices obtain a physical history and administer an HRA.

Answers:

1. Prosser et al. ACVIM Abstract 2013.

2. Knesl, Oliver et al. Technical Bulletin: Pet Wellness Report Canine Health Risk Assessment—A Review of 7,827 Cases (Zoetis 2013).

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Zoetis, PWR Pricing Study 2013 (unpublished).

Veterinary team benefits: Stronger relationships with clients and pets Professional satisfaction Practice differentiation

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Enhancing Preventive Care 5

Help Apparently Healthy Pets Pet owners like to take care of their pets. Give them a task that will make them happy: Ask clients to complete the Pet Wellness Report’s (PWR) online lifestyle questionnaire.

31%

63.2% consider pets a family member; only 1% consider pets as property. 1

don’t understand the need for regular veterinary care. 2

Pet owners would visit a veterinarian more frequently if they were convinced it would help their pet live longer and knew it could prevent problems and expensive treatments later. 2

80%

of veterinarians said the client understood their explanation of the medical problem and treatment. 3

52% of practices have

43% of pet owners do not feel their veterinarian talks to them in a language they understand. 2

1. American Veterinary Medical Association, 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook.

2. von Simson C, Volk J, Felsted KE. (2011). Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study: The Decline of Veterinary Visits and How to Reverse the Trend.

3. Veterinarian Satisfaction with Companion Animal Visits. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2012 Apr 1; 240(7) 832–41.

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6 Lifelong Care

less than

70% of their appointments filled. 2

Get All the Care They Deserve What’s going on inside apparently healthy pets?

Half the time, we just don’t know.

Currently, over half of veterinarians do not recommend routine screening to evaluate a pet’s cardiac condition, subclinical signs of kidney disease, and so on. For veterinarians that do recommend more screening, client compliance can be low. This could leave some pets with undiagnosed disease. Veterinarians practicing lifelong care close this gap with laboratory panels that go beyond parasite screens, which allows early detection and treatment.

Laboratory screens range from basic to more comprehensive.

(CBC/clinical chemistry/ urinalysis/T4) +/- parasite screening

Basic laboratory panels (Includes some hematology & select clin. chem. analytes) +/- parasite screening

All may also include fecal and urinalysis; cat screens may also include FeLV and FIV. Source: Zoetis 2013.

32%

Comprehensive laboratory panel

12%

More complete medical picture

44% get meaningful screening

Early signs of disease and modifiable lifestyle risks are present at every age.

No exceptions

Laboratory screening abnormalities were found in dogs and cats of all ages.

Based on the incidence of abnormal findings, comprehensive laboratory panels make sense at all ages. Although it adds to the cost of an annual exam, in the long run it is much less expensive to identify and manage early-stage disease than to wait until the pet is very ill.

23%

Dogs aged 6 years and under had screening abnormalities that could be consistent with medical conditions.

24%

Parasite screening (Accuplex/4Dx)

41%

of cats had laboratory panel abnormalities that could be consistent with a range of conditions, including renal disease, hepatic disease, hypothyroidism, or other morbidities.

55%

Physical & history

7%

Health risk assessment

7%

get little screening

Q: Currently, what screening tools do you recommend to every pet during regular routine wellness visits? (n= 151) Source: Zoetis 2013.

Beyond the lab >50%

Pets of all ages face lifestyle risks, too.

On the PWR questionnaire for dogs under 7, more than 50% of owners indicated at least one lifestyle risk that should be discussed with a veterinarian.

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Enhancing Preventive Care 7

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8 Lifelong Care

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Simple Steps to Implementation

Remember! The goal is not to complete lots of assessments, but instead to use the results of completed assessments to engage clients in conversations aimed at improving the pet’s lifelong health through prevention, early detection, and timely treatment.

1

Choose the right HRA

Select a health risk assessment (HRA) that is thorough and turnkey, easy to use for both clients and staff. Ensure it focuses on the pet, the client relationship, and communication.

It is also important the assessment is affordable for pet owners. And be sure the HRA is digital, preventing paper overload.

Good HRAs also offer analytical tools that measure the program’s results and pool the data to show trends in patient health. Imagine how positively your clients would respond to concrete statistics, such as “Our state saw a 10% spike in Lyme disease last month.”

The Pet Wellness Report (PWR) fulfills all these criteria.

2

Create a protocol around the PWR process

A solid protocol integrates the PWR process into the workflow for every preventive care visit.

See the sample protocol on page 12, and download a customizable template from aahanet.org/Library/ Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx.

3

Assign roles and responsibilities

4

Train staff

Using the template, identify tasks and assign them to staff. See pages 14–15 for an example, then download the list from aahanet.org/Library/ Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx, and customize it.

Do members of your staff need new or more advanced skills to perform at their best? From your list of roles/responsibilities, ask staff to self-assess their abilities. Supplement with your own observations, then download the Training Tracker from aahanet.org/ Library/Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx to create and manage your practice’s training program.

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Organize the logistics

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Educate clients about the PWR process

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Follow up with clients

Returning to the customizable protocol template, map out a workflow. Plan for its impact on marketing, client education, equipment, supplies, and pricing. Coordinate with the lab, and determine how you will measure the program’s success.

See page 17 for a sample workflow.

Remember lifelong care and the PWR process are new to most clients. Help them understand the impact the program will have on their pet’s longevity and quality of life, and build their enthusiasm for completing the questionnaire and necessary lab work to “get a look inside” their pets. At aahanet.org/Library/ Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx, you’ll find some scripts to help you get started. Look for more scripts, tools, and advice in the August issue of Lifelong Care.

The PWR becomes valuable when you use it to engage clients in conversations about their pet’s care. When you get the results of the PWR, call the client to explain the results and what they mean. Let them know if their pet is doing well, or alert them to the health risks or abnormalities the PWR uncovered.

Follow up on phone calls with email, using the PWR’s customizable email template.

Communication is the heart of lifelong care.

Watch for the forthcoming web conference (airs Sept 1–14, 2014), devoted to client communication. And look for more scripts, tools, and advice in the next issue of Lifelong Care, coming with your August issue of Trends!

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Enhancing Preventive Care 9

Voices from the Field “We have caught several diseases early due to screening pets at a young age.” —Technician

“I think it is an excellent tool to help educate clients about lab work and how important it is to the health of their pet.” —Veterinarian

“[HRAs] are easy to explain to the client.” —Technician “The report has all the information on it I would be looking for, and it doesn’t take a lot of my time to set up the report and transfer it.” —Technician “It increases your ability to communicate with clients and offer them the highest level of care possible.” —Veterinarian

“It is a great way to get a baseline blood and urine panel on a healthy adult pet because it’s very cost-effective.

The diagnostics may pick up concerns, which allows us to address them early on. This is beneficial for the pet as well as the owner.” —Technician “We have been able to discover health issues that we may not have otherwise “It can help improve the health of young and adult pets realized.” —Veterinarian through [an] inexpensive, yet thorough, diagnostic screening, combined with client participation and education.” —Technician

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10 Lifelong Care

Choose the Right HRA While most veterinarians ask questions about a pet’s lifestyle and condition, few practices have a systemized health risk assessment (HRA) process in place. Though HRAs have been used in human medicine, they haven’t been commonly available for use in veterinary medicine until recently.

The Pet Wellness Report (PWR) is the first widely available, standardized HRA for use by veterinary practices in assessing pet health, identifying risk factors, and improving client communication and education.

The PWR combines an HRA questionnaire completed by the pet owner with a comprehensive laboratory screening. Results from both parts of the assessment are made available to both the veterinarian and the pet owner.

But that is only the beginning. The PWR fulfills the requirements outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for an effective HRA. Key among these are electronic data management and analysis in addition to a shared process for doctor and client to work together to create a health plan that promotes lifelong health.

It’s important to remember it is the process that makes or breaks health-improvement efforts. The design of the PWR facilitates the process of educating and enlisting the participation of clients. It does this by identifying modifiable health risks, encouraging dialogue, allowing the practice to monitor progress and compliance, and forming the basis of discussion around a lifelong health care plan.

Assessments versus diagnostic tools Health risk assessments are intended for use in apparently healthy pets, many of which have underlying disease or lifestyle risk factors that may lead to problems.

You can use the PWR with sick pets to discover other, possibly unrelated, health and lifestyle risks. For example, a pet with kidney disease may not receive dental care or tick preventative, but kidney disease does not exempt these pets from dental disease or osteoarthritis.

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Enhancing Preventive Care 11

Sample Protocol to Implement the PWR Hospital name: ABC Animal Hospital Date created/updated: 12/14/13 Implementation date: 4/1/14 Next review/update: 6/30/14

PROTOCOL PURPOSE: Outline how the Pet Wellness Report (PWR) will be used in the practice and what the roles and responsibilities of each team member are when implementing this program.

GOAL: To have owners of all dogs and cats in the practice receive a PWR annually for each of their pets

Team member(s) responsible for carrying out this protocol: See attached Roles and Responsibilities (see pages 14–15).

Supervisor/point person for managing implementation: Susan White, Practice Manager

Training to be designed and led by practice manager

TRAINING:

Topics to be covered: • Importance of health risk assessments (HRAs) in general and the PWR in particular in improving the quality of care received by pets in the practice • Medical benefits expected from use of the PWR • Components of the PWR • Survey questions to be answered by pet owners • Included laboratory tests and what is learned from these tests • Client report format • Procedure for using the PWR during client visits and roles/responsibilities of each person • Follow-up communications and planning for patient’s lifelong care Eight 1-hour sessions will be held, with each session covering one of the topics above. Sessions will be held once weekly starting 1/15/14 and will be held in the practice’s conference/training room. All team members will be required to attend. The only direct costs to be incurred will be the lunch or snacks provided at each training session.

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12 Lifelong Care

Customize this protocol or write your own. You’ll find a blank template at aahanet.org/Library/Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx.

IMPACT ON WORKFLOW:

See attached Workflow Map (page 17).

MEDICAL RECORD DOCUMENTATION:

Elements to be included in the medical record (and individual(s) responsible for documentation): • Whether client accepts/declines PWR recommendation (to be done by doctor who makes the recommendation) • Notation in chart PWR was completed and/or copy of the summary page of the PWR (The report itself is stored in the cloud and accessed through the Veterinary Management Report.)

• Laboratory results (to be done by designated technician) • Note completed PWR assessment (to be done by designated technician) • Doctor’s recommendations based on PWR results, which is discussed with clients (Technicians may follow up with “healthy pet” calls and general recommendations.)

• Any/all team members may discuss PWR with clients as appropriate.

CLIENT COMMUNICATION:

Elements of client communication regarding benefits of PWR: • Document describing PWR and benefits • Registration guide for clients • Discussion with clients by doctors, technicians, and other team members Effective client communication will make or break the practice’s PWR effort. (Page 18 highlights some tools to improve client communication about the PWR. The next issue of Lifelong Care (August) focuses exclusively on communication.)

• Sample PWR (ideally one completed for a staff pet) • Information on website • Inclusion in practice newsletter each quarter • Inclusion in social media postings Communication with client about results See attached Workflow Map and above Medical Record section.

INVENTORY/ SUPPLIES:

Items to be kept on hand: • Client education materials • Supplies needed for blood sample draw and preparation Who is responsible for monitoring inventory levels and ensuring sufficient supplies are kept on hand?

• Client education materials—practice manager • Supplies—current inventory manager

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Enhancing Preventive Care 13

Assign Staff Roles and Responsibilities People are creatures of habit. Even if we believe a change is important, we tend to do the things we’ve always done. It is possible, however, to make change more likely to occur and to stick.

Two of the most important steps include: designing a workflow so the process for using the Pet Wellness Report (PWR) is clear to everyone in the practice during routine

Practice manager

Doctors

• Meet with doctors and technicians to plan implementation.

• File the completed protocol, and schedule periodic reviews/updates of it.

• Manage implementation.

• Maintain support materials in each exam room and at the reception desk.

(Example: Client handouts on lifelong care and instructions for accessing the online questionnaire) • Plan team training and motivational programs.

• Track client scheduling and follow up (reminders and appointments).

• Use the Veterinary Management Report to track compliance and identify trends.

• Track measures of success (number of client visits and lab screenings, PWR-prompted product/service income, etc.).

• Discuss the PWR at a doctors’ meeting.

• Write your practice’s protocol using the model provided online at aahanet.org/ Library/Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx.

• Decide responsibilities for completing specific tasks, and assign them to doctors and technicians.

Schedule brainstorming sessions to encourage this kind of thinking.

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client visits and, secondly, assigning specific roles and responsibilities. See page 17 for an example of a workflow map. Listed here are some responsibilities that will likely be important when integrating a health risk assessment (HRA) into your workflow.

Encourage each staff member (whether working independently or in groups) to expand this list to the next

14 Lifelong Care

During the preventive care exam: • Discuss the benefits of lifelong care with clients, and make a clear recommendation for the PWR. • In the chart, note the client’s decision to accept/decline the PWR. After the PWR is complete: • Review the risk assessment and blood work results. Using the PWR’s email module, send email response.

OR • If lab test results are abnormal or there are exceptional lifestyle risks, follow up with the client, provide educational materials, and recommend a plan.

Quarterly or 2x/year: • Use the Veterinary Management Report to identify trends in lifestyle risks or abnormal lab screenings and design programs to address these issues. (For example, notify clients about an increase in infectious disease in the area.)

level of detail—what are their ideas for educating clients about the PWR and making sure the system works?

Schedule brainstorming sessions to encourage this kind of thinking. For example, the receptionist may propose using a colored flag on the client file that is handed to the technician when the client arrives to remind them to discuss the PWR. The technicians may

want to add this item to the wellness exam checklist they use. The doctors may find having a sample report in the exam room is good visual aid when describing the benefits of the PWR to pet owners.

Technicians

Client service representatives

• Consult with the doctors, and determine which tasks and procedures will be performed by technicians and which by doctors.

• Answer client questions, or refer them to a knowledgeable team member.

• At checkout, give clients printed information (such as instructions to access the online questionnaire).

• Review the PWR, including billing information.

• Schedule the next appointment at checkout.

• Emphasize lifelong care promotes the pet’s quality of life and longevity.

• Send reminders at appropriate times using the client’s preferred method (email, telephone, or mail).

During the preventive care exam: • Discuss the benefits of lifelong care, and make a clear recommendation for the PWR. • Review the pet’s history.

• Show the owner a sample of the comprehensive report they will receive on their pet’s health. Communicate how blood work and a lifestyle risk assessment help uncover risk and disease early, when it’s easiest to manage.

• Give the client handouts and instructions to access the online questionnaire.

• Obtain blood samples (and fecal and urine samples, if necessary) and send to the lab.

After the PWR is complete: • Based on doctor’s instructions, follow up with the client to report results, make strong recommendations for additional preventive care, and provide educational materials.

All practice team members • In a team meeting, discuss lifelong care and the PWR. • Discuss how you will use the tools.

• Clarify each team member’s roles.

• Discuss ways to educate and motivate clients to participate as your partner in their pet’s care.

• Use the PWR with your own pets.

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Enhancing Preventive Care 15

Get to Know the Pet Wellness Report!

Get a quick start on staff training with these videos at petwellnessreport.com.

Introducing the Pet Wellness Report (PWR)

Take a closer look at the PWR lifestyle risk questionnaire.

The questionnaire is divided into five sections, each with 5 to 12 questions. It can be completed in 7–10 minutes. Examples of the questions are:

Cancer

How the Pet Wellness Report Works

• Does your pet have any of the following warning signs (swelling, sores, loss of appetite, bleeding, odor, etc.)?

• Do you routinely perform a hands-on exam of your dog and examine his/her body, ears, eyes, mouth for abnormalities?

Heart What Is the Veterinary Management Report?

• Do you have your pet tested for heartworm every year?

• Is your pet on a 12-month heartworm prevention program?

Dental

• Does your pet exhibit any of the following warning signs of oral disease?

• Does your pet have any teeth that are missing, chipped, or broken?

Go into more depth with these videos on the PWR YouTube channel at youtube.com/channel/ UCN8U8o087G0udLJcuyt0-Ug. • Importance of Prevention • The Pet Wellness Report: A New Tool From Zoetis to Support Preventive Care • Would You Recommend the Pet Wellness Report?

• What Do Pet Owners Think of the Pet Wellness Report?

• The Veterinary Management Report Consolidates PWR Patient Information • Why Choose the Pet Wellness Report?

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16 Lifelong Care

Nutrition

• Do you measure your dog’s food every day?

• Do you believe that your dog is overweight?

Safety

• Does your dog have contact with other dogs?

• Does your pet have a permanent means of identification (microchip, tattoo, etc.)?

• Do you know what people foods are potentially poisonous to dogs and puppies?

Workflow Map: What to do when the client arrives for a visit Is the pet a dog or a cat?

Yes

Proceed with appointment. PWR is designed for canines/felines.

No

Yes

Has the pet had comprehensive blood work in the last 6 months?

No

Doctor determines if PWR recommendation will be made on this visit or next visit and notes that decision in chart.

Technician discusses PWR with client, shows example of report, and recommends the PWR.

Client receives instructions to access PWR online, and technician draws samples for the PWR lab work. Appointment continues as normal.

Doctor discusses value of PWR with pet owner— does owner accept recommendation?

Yes

No

Noted in chart— recommendation will be made again at next visit.

Client completes online PWR questionnaire.

Practice team reviews the final report 1 day before the client receives it.

Laboratory runs blood work.

• Doctor reviews PWR and adds personalized recommendations.

• Doctor records actions in medical record.* • Staff sets up reminders in practice management software. *To avoid the labor and bulk involved in filing paper copies, simply note in the medical record that the PWR was done and follow-up occurred. Then use the PWR website to access each pet’s report and recommendations.

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Enhancing Preventive Care 17

Addressing Pos sible Clie

Conversations With Purpose

Concern: Cost Possible Resp onses:

nt Concerns

1. First, ensure value has been adequately desc absence of value ribed. Price is . The PWR helps an issue only in engage and bond your practice and the reinforces the the client and value of veterinary their client needs to understand what - based preventive pet to you are doing benefit to their care. The and why it is impo pet. rtant and of a. Hand the pet owner a samp le copy of the understand the Report. This helps information they them will receive and and their pet how it will bene Addressing Possible Client Concerns fit them b. Explain why the PWR There are three primary concerns clients may want you to address recommending the Pet provi des awhen more healt comp h -HRA rehensiveshould & Labhow Wellness Report (laboratory screening). Think about you will address these concerns Scree look at their pet’s ning added to the routi they arise: ne health chec c. List and expla k in all the thing s that you will checking Concern: My pet is young/looks I don’t think they need the Pet be Wellness Report. for…

2. Presenthealthy… the PWR as a means to gath Possible Responses: moderate incre er a lot more med mental cost abov ical information e The whatPWR for a 1. Our hope is that your pet is as healthy as s/he appears. give theyassessment would havewill a. i.e., As part done of our us both the peace of mind we are doing everything can to keep them healthy, anyway standardwe health happy and out of harm’s and way. fecal parasite screen. That check we routinely recommen d a HW test woul recommend the PWR for [pet nam d be (let’s say) $80 today.

We 2. As you know, many health conditions start to manifest as we our pets get older. infor e] and and mation on for only $40 more, we liver will get function, analysis, athat It’s very important to understand certainand riskskidne and ydiseases can actually start in blood urine sugar, electrolyt profile and even es, blood cell thyro hear early adulthood, which for most means around one year ofidage.

By doing this tworpets statu m testin s… in addi g. If we run the laboron asseensure screening now we can help there pet is as healthy thetest inside as shetion is to the ssment, atory the your together with cost is actually the less than if we alone, so that’ on the outside. ran the laboratory health risk s why we’re recom testing mending value for the mon Pet Welln ey.

3. In a recent study (technical bulletin), the laboratory screening and the the health riskess Report as the best questionnaire included with the PWR uncovered issues even in apparently healthy pets.

4. Several types of potential problems can be identified with laboratory screening: diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, thyroid disorders, UTIs, etc.—and the earlier they are found, the better we can manage the disease

Lifelong care shifts the focus from client education to purposeful conversations. It’s the difference between talking at clients and talking with them.

You’ll find many tips and tools in your next issue of Lifelong Care, coming with the August issue of Trends.

5. Additionally, even a completely normal Pet Wellness Report laboratory screening has tremendous value. It gives you peace of mind, and also provides a good baseline so Com trademarks are munica that if theAlllaboratory values begin to change in thetion future, will be aware of any the property of Zoetis Inc. inwethe or its subsidiar Examtreat. ies, affiliates and Room licensors . ©2013 and easier to 3 Reviewmore trends early--which helps make diseases manageable Zoetis Inc. All possible rights conversation reserved. PWR091 3052A starters abou 3 Review comm t the PWR on conce

rns client s may Concern: I am not sure I want to know if there is something wrong withhave my pet 3 Role play describing the Pet Welln Possible Responses: ess Report to clients Opening a conv 1. Most issues are more easily managed and less expensive to treat if diagnosed early ersation abou t the PWR (an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure).

Front

Office Staff and/ or

Dr. Smit

We are excite 2. Your Pet’s quality of life may be improved ifdwe identify a risk orhdiagnose a “ Welln to offer a great new enhan ess Report and cement to our disease early. is a part routin

of our preventive e wellness exam personalized repor s. It is called the health program t that gives both that produces Pet ident of us a us ify healt 3. In many cases, the PWR helps us confirm your pet is healthy--giving both peace more a comprehensive, h risks comp befor lete picture of e visible signs the best healt Molly’s health, become the rent. of mind that we have checked and comforthcare in knowing bestThis allow and for Mollywe . have providedappa s us to work toget even helps us {HAND PET OWN her to provide care for your Pet. ER SAMPLE REPO RT} We are now recom mend The Pet Wellness Report (PWR) provides a unique communication allowing you to reinforce ing the PWR opportunity, how Molly can get for all wellness his/her When exam the importance of preventive health care with clients. the pet owner receives thes customized very own and the Dr. (or PWR. I) will explain more report on their pet’s health, it reinforces the value of regular routine veterinary visits and gets them about more engaged in the care Dr. of their Smitpet. h How do you effectively communicate this new service to your clients so that more pets benefit from a “PWR check up?”

I would like to get in-dep th inform Compliance with hospital recommendations greatest when the client the same information routine screen ismore ationhears from you abou ing tests. This inform from all staff. Everyone in the hospital be ready and willing to will discuss the benefits tofMax’s the Pet cases ation lifestyle as well beforemust help me identify any physical signs as condu ct some Wellness Report. It is important to outline and discuss individual staff roles andhealth risks or disea are evide that allow nt.member’s s me to We now offer ses early, in many gather all of this a program called responsibilities: document. information abou the Pet Wellness t Max and put Report it into one easy{HAND PET OWN to-understand ER SAMP 3 Reception/front office staff 3 Practice managers LE REPORT} It explains and includ es theteam 3 Technicians 3 Other practice resultmembers incorporate s of the blood and s an online quest urine tests ionnaire, called lifestyle. The result 3 Doctors a health risk asses that we need to do for Max and sment, that will you and I to go s of the online questionnaire tell and laboratory over together and profile are all includus a lot about Max’s it’s also availa ble for you online discuss next steps around ed in the Max’s care. whenever you Key Messages to Communicate When Discussing the Pet Wellness Report You can keep this report for want it. report and These messages have Dr. been shown Smit h to resonate with pet owners.

” to Clients Communicating Pet Wellness Report “ ”

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Meanwhile, get a head start on staff training with these tools, posted at aahanet.org/Library/Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx.

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Health Risk Asses r health checks, we now recom Pet Wellness Report… smen mend

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t with detailed a Pet Wellness blood and urine Repor {HAND PET OWN testinfor g. pets of all t. This combines a ER SAMP Is a comprehensive preventive health assessment that works LE REPO RT} The PWR gives us ages to help identify hidden health visible signs become apparent, a morerisks compbefore rehensive look to ge Molly’s and at Molly’s health long term allowing for early mana intervention the healt besthpossible outcomes. and allows us together. to determine how best

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2. Allows for better preventive care and may help avoid more complex and costly health problems in the future All trademarks are the property of Zoetis Inc. or its subsidiar ies, affiliates 3. Provides detailed information about your pet’s health allowing you to and licensors . ©2013 Zoetis Inc. All rights proactively address risk or disease as early as possible, so that reserved your. PWR091 pet 3052 can live a happier, healthier life. a. Gives you access to your pet’s laboratory testing results with an appropriate explanation of what each test measures. b. Gives you access to a report written in easy-to-understand language that helps you better appreciate your pet’s health care needs and your veterinarian’s recommendations.

4. Gives you peace of mind, knowing you have done everything you can to help your pet.

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18 Lifelong Care

Pet Wellness Report Action Plan Start now

When you are ready, contact your Zoetis representative to get started with PWR. Together, you can create a plan to implement PWR in your practice. Use this outline to help plan as you get ready to implement.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Focus: Introducing the PWR

Focus: Workflow and Communication

Focus: Logistics

Complete the Action Plan on page 19 of the February issue of Lifelong Care aahanet.org/Library/ Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx.

Write a PWR protocol. Assign roles and responsibilities for each step.

Be sure everyone knows how to process the lab work. If paper lab forms are needed, be sure they are ordered.

Determine what staff training is needed, and use the Training Tracker to organize it. aahanet.org/Library/Lifelong_ Care_Resources.aspx

Determine pricing, and enter it into the practice management software.

Start by training staff with an overview of the PWR. Use the videos Introducing the Pet Wellness Report and How the Pet Wellness Report Works, available at petwellnessreport.com. Ask your Zoetis representative for additional resources.

Direct your team to watch the web conference, Implementing a Health Risk Assessment in Your Practice (aahanet.org/webconf ). The web conference is archived, so staff can watch it as other duties allow.

Review the PWRs for the staff ’s pets. Were there any surprises? New insights? Encourage staff to share their experiences and any lessons learned when they recommend the PWR to clients.

Ask all team members to complete a PWR for one of their own apparently healthy pets. Zoetis will provide a free access code for the online questionnaire.

In a team meeting, ask staff to work in pairs to practice presenting the PWR to clients and answering clients’ questions. Use the scripts detailed in How to Talk to Clients about the PWR aahanet.org/Library/ Lifelong_Care_Resources.aspx to get started. (The August issue of Lifelong Care will also offer many more tools for communication.)

Select one or two point people to spearhead the implementation of the PWR process.

Discuss how you will follow up with clients about risks or health issues the PWR may uncover.

Brainstorm ideas for marketing the program and educating clients about its benefits. Your Zoetis representative can help.

Decide how to measure success— client satisfaction surveys, PWR-prompted product/service income, number of lab panels done, risk factors identified. The PWR’s analytical tool, called the Veterinary Management Report, makes it easy to track quantitative outcomes.

Have questions? Need help?

Ask your Zoetis representative.

Call 877-PWR-PETS, or email PWRsupport@zoetis.com.

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Enhancing Preventive Care 19

Next issue: Focused conversations build trust and engage clients in their pets’ lifelong health.

Find valuable insights and tips in the next issue of Lifelong Care, arriving with your August issue of Trends magazine!

The American Animal Hospital Association is an international organization of nearly 6,000 veterinary care teams comprising more than 48,000 veterinary professionals committed to excellence in companion animal care. Established in 1933, AAHA is recognized for its leadership in the profession, its high standards for pet health care, and, most important, its accreditation of companion animal practices. For more information about AAHA, visit aahanet.org.

Zoetis (zĹ?-EH-tis) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses.

Building on a 60-year history as the animal health business of Pfizer, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, with a focus on both farm and companion animals. The company generated annual revenues of $4.3 billion in 2012. It has more than 9,300 employees worldwide and a local presence in approximately 70 countries, including 29 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries. Its products serve veterinarians, livestock producers, and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals in 120 countries.