574 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
● Underwater treadmill: This is a great treat-
ment tool but certainly not appropriate for
all cases. There are several different manu-
facturers of treadmills with varying fea-
tures. Space, plumbing, electrical, and
HVAC requirements must be addressed
before installation
● Swimming/therapy pool: Can be quite
expensive, so the costs of purchase, installa-
tion, maintenance, and water supply must
be weighed against potential income. Pools
can be in‐ground, above‐ground, or all‐in‐
one units with resistance jets as well as
built‐in ramps and decks
● Gait analysis system to analyze gait, provid-
ing objective measures including pressure,
stride length, force, acceleration, and stance
times (see Chapter 2 for details on the pros
and cons of different systems).
Software: scheduling/documentation
Software
Of the many veterinary practice software pro-
grams available, many offer a free trial period
prior to purchase. Beneficial features include
employee timeclock, appointment scheduler,
and the ability to create note templates. Many
enable the practice to contact clients through
the program via text and email, manage
appointment reminders and inventory, and
integrate online home exercise programs and
accounting programs such as QuickBooks®.
Scheduling
Practice software programs often include an
appointment scheduler that allows for varied
appointment times for different treatment ses-
sions, such as evaluations, rechecks, underwa-
ter treadmill sessions, or acupuncture visits.
Often the treatments can be color coded for
easy visual cues.
File storage
Becoming a more cloud‐based practice saves
time and paper cost, and reduces the risk of los-
ing documentation that is necessary to keep
available. Another great benefit is the opportu-
nity to access records remotely, allowing for
charting to be completed while off site.Fee schedule
Determining the costs of services is based on
time and service provided. Initial evaluation/
assessment takes longer than an acupuncture or
hydrotherapy therapy session, and the staff
required is different. It is important to make sure
that the fee charged covers more than the cost of
providing the service. Aside from the cost of the
staff participating in the patient’s care there are
overhead costs (electricity, space, equipment
wear/tear, materials used) that need to be built
into fees. For example, an acupuncture session
fee must include the costs of the veterinarian to
insert the needles, the technician holding the pet,
the needles used, the electricity for lights, music,
electro‐unit, and the space in which the treat-
ment takes place. Each session must make more
than it costs to make it a profitable treatment.
Some practices charge based on time, others
charge based on treatment type (acupuncture,
hydrotherapy, physical therapy), and some
charge based on modality (laser, ultrasound,
massage). Still others use combinations of the
above options.Marketing
Marketing is essential for the success of any
business. The public needs to be informed that
the practice has opened, where it is located, the
services offered, the qualifications of the staff,
the hours of operation, and, very importantly,
the benefits of rehabilitation.WebsiteEvery rehabilitation practice should have a
searchable website that contains all the
pertinent information that both the public and
referring veterinarians will be interested in
finding, especially how to schedule an appoint-
ment. Websites should include: hours of
operation, services provided, contact informa-
tion, location, staff (including their qualifications