Successfully Switching Veterinary Practice Management Software

Switching veterinary practice management software providers is a complex undertaking, however, with proper planning, changing vet software can be much more manageable. In this post, we will talk about the four questions your veterinary practice should consider to be prepared to switch from server-based to cloud-based veterinary practice management software. 

Here are the four questions you need to ask in your process for switching veterinary software:

1. Who owns my veterinary practice software data?
2. What training and support will be provided to ease the process?
3. What is the total cost for a cloud-based software subscription compared to server-based model?  
4. How much does the migration cost and what is the process?

1. Who owns my veterinary practice data? 

You probably assumed that you own your clinic data. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Do you own your veterinary practice data?  Here’s how to find out. At Hippo Manager we believe you should own your data. Your practice information is YOUR data when you move to Hippo Manager and if you choose to leave.  

If you do not own your data, transferring your information from one provider to another can get complicated. Our data migration team has been trained to handle almost these sticky situations. We can always offer advice and look at options on how to get data elements over to Hippo Manager. 

• Medical records
• Invoices and financial history
• Customer contact information
• Inventory
• Reminders
• Reporting history
• X-rays
• Other records

If you don’t own your veterinary software data or your provider is using your practice information and client information to sell to other companies, it is time to switch. You should protect your valuable information and your client's privacy.

2. What training and support are provided to ease the process? 

The best tool in the world is useless if you can't use it. Although most users find Hippo Manager very intuitive to use, we still provide a robust onboarding and  training resources at no additional cost.  Why? We understand that HOW you change is just as important as WHAT you change. We want you and your team to have the necessary support to ensure your ongoing success.

A Hippo Manager Onboarding Specialist will be by your side at day 1 to help everyone at your practice schedule a live session tailored around their position. We offer more than 10 hours of live instruction for free each week to accommodate busy schedules.  Additionally, many users take advantage of our online learning resource center with videos and the help center with written instructions. Our goal is to provide as many resources as possible to meet the needs and best serve the varying learning styles of veterinary professionals in different positions. We also have monthly RACE-approved webinars and specialized coaches to help your practice prepare for the change, both from a cultural standpoint and a process standpoint. 

3. What is the total cost of ownership for cloud-based veterinary software compared to old server based models? 

When switching veterinary practice management software, clinics find the pricing model to be very different.  The good news is, cloud-based pricing is a subscription-based model, and the cost is almost always less expensive when considering the total cost of server-based software. 

Hippo Manager is a subscription priced at $119 per month, per full time veterinarian. This includes unlimited data storage, unlimited users, unlimited patients and training and support. If you are migrating data, there is a one-time cost of $1750 per location.  

This straight-forward, transparent subscription-based model is very different than server based models or even other cloud-based veterinary practice management software systems, who may be charging you for data storage, training and additional users (such as vet techs and receptionists). 

To compare to what you were paying for a server-based veterinary software, consider your annual spend on your PIMS annual license, support and updates, any technology services you may be paying for network maintenance, backup costs, the server itself, server utility costs and any training or online resources you may be paying your provider.  We've provided a calculator to help you compare costs. 

4.How much does the migration cost and what is the process?

Migrating data is a one-time fee of $1750 per location. We are ready to work closely with your
veterinary clinic or hospital to safely and accurately move the files and data from your existing practice management software to help you switch to Hippo Manager. Our team has experience migrating data from every major practice management system, including server-based and cloud based systems. It's important to note that migrating data requires some hands-on attention from your staff members as data must be checked for accuracy at pivotal points during the migration. The accuracy of the placement of your migrated data is critically important, and your team's involvement and review ensures a smooth transition. 

Here's the process: After your demo and free trial, you'll sign your contract with Hippo Manager, and we'll schedule a kick-off call to review the process. We'll ask questions about your current system and what data you need moved. With the help of a third-party migration service, we will conduct an initial data pull while your team is doing onboarding training with Hippo Manager and using your practice environment to get comfortable with your new practice management software.  We'll schedule data migration reviews along the way, and then a final review to confirm everything is accurate.  When your team is ready, we'll schedule a Go-Live day when your final data is converted to Hippo Manager, and you can use your new software.  We'll have training specialists on-hand to ensure a smooth first day. 

Switching veterinary software to Hippo Manager can happen in as quickly as 4 weeks. Hippo Manager boasts a highly-rated support and data migrations team dedicated to your practice that adheres to a timeline and readiness agreed to by your staff.