Today's episode is a must-listen for any veterinary practice manager considering a transition to a new practice management software system. Joining the podcast to help us take this on is Heidi Traylor from Covina Animal Hospital. Heidi is a seasoned CVPM and PHR and talks all about her practice's journey in selecting and implementing a new PIMS.

Heidi shares the pivotal moment that pushed her team to finally make the switch - when their aging, on-premise system could no longer keep up with their changing needs and the speed of their operations. Heidi and her leadership team evaluated their options, creating a scorecard to assess each system's capabilities against their requirements.

Heidi stresses the critical role of her frontline team in the selection process. By taking their feedback on what they loved and hated about the current system, Heidi was able to ensure the new PIMS would truly meet the needs of the users, and she didn't stop there either; she empowered a "technology team" of staff volunteers to test-drive the finalists, providing invaluable hands-on feedback!

Of course, no software transition is without its challenges, and Heidi openly reflects on the struggles that Covina faced with training the entire staff. Her advice is to be incredibly patient, provide multiple learning modalities, and don't be afraid to lean on your vendor's onboarding support. Most importantly, though, she highlights the importance of giving the team ample time to adjust before going live.

If you're contemplating a PIMS change in your own practice, then you definitely will not want to miss Heidi's wisdom in this episode, so grab a pen and paper because you're going to want to take notes, and enjoy our conversation with Heidi Traylor!

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Show Notes:

[1:53] - We hear how Heidi initially resisted change but reconsidered after realizing that Infinity was no longer meeting Covina's needs. [4:58] - To guide selection for a new system, the leadership team carefully curated staff feedback on Infinity. [7:53] - Hear how a detailed, color-coded spreadsheet helped eliminate unfit options and spotlight top contenders. [10:08] - Heidi reveals that, despite some initial nerves, her staff welcomed the change and felt empowered by being included. [12:00] - Jill reflects on team enthusiasm having grown knowing that their feedback would affect the outcome. [14:54] - Heidi reveals that they ended up going with Digitail, and she describes what she loves about it. [16:11] - Heidi reveals that there were some who resisted the change at first, but leadership stayed supportive and aware of growing pains. [18:49] - Preparation took place for about a year and included demos, SOP creation, and training. [21:10] - We learn that training 35+ staff proved to be the biggest challenge. [23:59] - Heidi advises informing clients of software changes early to set expectations and highlight long-term benefits. [25:07] - Be patient with your team while adopting new software, and centralize documentation for smoother transitions. [27:41] - It's important to support staff through change with empathy, preparation, and access to resources.

Thank you for listening. Remember you are not in this alone. Visit our website for more resources.

Links and Resources:

● VHMA Web Page

● VHMA Coronavirus Resources

● VHMA Facebook

● VHMA Twitter

● VHMA on Linkedin

● Heidi Traylor on LinkedIn

● Covina Animal Hospital Web Page

● Covina Animal Hospital on LinkedIn

● Digitail Web Page

● CareCredit Web Page