The phone rings for Bella again
Bella, a spaniel, is in for a few days. Her owner rings at nine, at twelve and at four, each time asking how she is. Reception has to find a nurse, the nurse has to stop what they are doing on the ward, and the answer is often much the same as last time: comfortable, eating a little, vet will call later.
With six or eight inpatients, update calls take up a real part of the nurses' day, and each interruption breaks their work on the ward. The vet, meanwhile, promised to ring after the evening round, and the owner rings first because they did not know when that would be.
Why owners keep calling
Owners are worried and do not know when they will hear from you. So they ring. Most practices have no agreed update schedule, and no easy way to send a short update other than a phone call.
Updates that are given are not recorded where reception can see them. A second call from the owner's partner gets the same answer from a different person, or a slightly different answer, which worries them more.
And the updates owners value most, a photo of their dog eating, a note that the cat purred for a nurse, are the ones that are hardest to give by phone.
What constant calls cost
| Issue | Effect |
|---|---|
| Nurse interruptions | Ward work broken up throughout the day |
| Reception time | Calls transferred and messages taken |
| Inconsistent updates | Different answers from different people |
| Worried owners | Anxiety grows between calls |
| Vet callbacks | Calls that could have been planned happen at awkward times |
What is said about each patient is a clinical matter for your vets and nurses. We make sure updates are planned, delivered and recorded.
Planned updates and quick messages
- An update schedule for each inpatient, agreed at admission and shared with the owner: for example, a morning message from the nursing team and an evening call from the vet.
- A quick message tool on a ward tablet, so a nurse can send a short update or photo to the owner in a moment, by text or email through a provider such as Twilio.
- An update log visible to reception, showing every message and call, so they can tell a caller what was last said and when the next update is due.
- Vet call reminders for the updates that need a vet, shown on the ward board or the vet's task list.
- Visiting arrangements booked through the same tool if your practice allows visits.
- A single contact per patient, agreed at admission, so updates go to one person and the family is not ringing separately.
Owners who know when they will hear
Owners are told when to expect updates and receive them on time. A photo of their pet eating does more than a phone call. Reception can see what has been said, so the answer to a worried caller is consistent. Nurses are interrupted less. The calls that remain are genuine questions or conversations that need a vet.
Owners also tend to leave kinder feedback after a stay where they felt kept in the loop, which matters for a practice that relies on word of mouth.
Do owners ring for updates all day?
- Owners of inpatients ring several times a day
- Nurses are regularly pulled off the ward for calls
- Updates are not recorded where reception can see them
- There is no agreed update schedule
- Owners hear different things from different people