• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Bite the bullet and go paperless

June 1, 2012

How do I determine when going paperless is financially justified in my veterinary practice?

How do I determine when going paperless is financially justified?

"From my perspective, it's always the right time to go paperless," says Dr. Jeff Rothstein, MBA, president of Progressive Pet Animal Hospitals and Management Group in Michigan. As the question implies, there are many advantages to being paperless (see the sidebar below). Although cost has never been a factor, Dr. Rothstein says he has helped create close to 10 paperless practices, and phasing out your old records is easier than you think. Here's how he does it:

Advertisement

"We pick a start date, and all visits after that date are typed into our veterinary software program," says Dr. Rothstein, a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member. "I see no reason to enter any past medical history into our electronic records. Instead, for each visit during that transition year, we lug out the old paper chart for historical reference. Then, at our one-year anniversary of being paperless, we no longer pull out the paper chart, except by special request—which almost never happens."

Work faster, smarter, greener (Source: gopaperless.com)

The bottom line: Anything older than a year usually has little bearing on the pet's current health status, Dr. Rothstein says. And any chronic or ongoing conditions would be addressed and documented electronically during the transition year. "I've found it exceedingly easy to make the change—you just have to get your game plan together and start," he says. "So the right time is now."

Related Content:

Practice Finances
Market research: How to find your edge
Market research: How to find your edge
A technician’s true value
A technician’s true value
Build your first veterinary hospital
Build your first veterinary hospital

Advertisement

Latest News

To refer or to not refer

Advice panel for women interested in the veterinary field

AVMA president set to testify before Congress

New Hawaii-based pet CBD brand launches

View More Latest News
Advertisement