Salem Oregon Animal Rehabilitation (SOAR) provides rehabilitation for pets. Sarah Ostrin had worked at the local university as a rehabilitation technician and wanted to be able to offer better options for the pets in Salem. Julie Rowley, DVM wanted to be able to offer more than just pills for pain management. They found one another and their collaboration launched SOAR. Both are Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioners (CCRP) and their lean staff of technicians work closely with Dr Rowley’s husband, Mark, who runs the logistical side of the business. As they say in their business, “if it doesn’t have fur, it’s his problem.”
The Challenge
With a total of three staffers helping the animals and one person managing the technology and office processes, digital transformation isn’t a new way of thinking. It’s been the only way of thinking from the very beginning. With beloved pets coming in to be treated, mistakes can cost trust and effective treatment. Complete pet records mean better treatment and missed appointments can create a negative impact for both the pet and the rehabilitation center itself.
Mainstream vet software didn’t work for their lean staff. The features they offered were either too overwhelming for the clinic’s needs, not flexible enough to adapt to their demands. Others were too cost prohibitive for the size of their facility.
Although Mark was a chief operating officer of data centers in his former life, he had never programmed and didn’t plan to start now. He was able to build out a custom system that served most of the the rehabilitation center’s needs using Claris FileMaker thanks to its low-code environment and flexibility. Completing the circuit across his tech stack is his next goal: designing systems that put him out of a job and allow him to spend more time with his wife.
That’s where Claris Connect comes in. It will help fully close the duplicative input gap between disparate systems with the integration and automation Claris Connect provides.
How Claris Connect Provides the Solution
Linking the myriad of technologies across the stack is critical for a seamless patient experience. Claris Connect and the Claris community will help Mark efficiently automate processes that streamline the experience and reduce time and overhead for the clinic.
"I've been dreaming of Claris Connect."
Mark Barlow
Accurate information across all business systems
SOAR envisions that when they click the “add a new client” button in their Claris FileMaker system that it provides that information to every critical system they work with, including QuickBooks and Acuity. And if there is an error in the information input in any of the systems, they’ll be able to make a change in Claris FileMaker and have it update across the other systems in a two-way exchange. They see Claris Connect as the bridge to ensure that every patient has accurate information across all systems.
Central location to track completed treatments
Whether it’s appointment information or tracking completed treatments, having one central repository of truth will help ensure that treatments are communicated from app to app to track progress and treatments. They envision Claris Connect can move information capture away from manual entry to automated updates directly from connected machines. This will help staff focus on more effective treatment plans and allow them to have a complete picture of the pet’s progress.
Effective communication between treatment facilities
No rehabilitation center works in a vacuum. Working with veterinarian offices and other treatment facilities is key to the good health of all of SOAR’s patients. Automating the way, they reach out to those organizations can ensure good rapport and reduce the time that the owner must spend working nights and weekends. Using Claris Connect to ensure that offices that refer new patients get a thank you note or sending out requests for pet records isn’t just convenient, it improves the quality of the proprietor’s lives.
Personalized client communication
Today’s consumer expects personalized communication, especially when it comes to the health of a loved one. SOAR anticipates being able to use Claris Connect to not only empower them to allow their customers to send the right message, they also expect it will allow them to choose how they receive communication. It allows employees to focus more time on their important work with the pets.
The expected impact of Claris Connect
Not only does Mark expect to get closer to his goal of a paperless office, but he expects to see at least five hours each week shaved off his work week. He plans on using that windfall to spend more time with his wife.
What’s Next?
You’re never too small for digital transformation. Automated business processes with Claris Connect means spending more time doing the things that matter. Interested in learning more?