Mobile veterinary practices have a number of benefits over a stationary practice. You don�t have to find an affordable building and convert it to fit your needs; the cost of a mobile practice is estimated to be a quarter of that for the stationary clinic. Also, you can charge a premium to clients for showing up at their homes, especially in emergencies. Here are a few tips on how to start a mobile veterinary practice.
Licensing
Whether you run a brick and mortar vet clinic or a mobile one, you�re still required to be a licensed veterinarian. A separate issue is getting the mobile clinic itself licensed as roadworthy. You may need specialized types of insurance, licenses, and permits before you can show up with a mobile clinic in a suburban neighborhood. And don�t try to save money by limiting your liability insurance on either the practice or the vehicle since you�ll lose your livelihood if the mobile clinic is totaled in an accident or seized in a lawsuit.
Consider Your Costs
You need to consider your costs relative to your potential income. And this in and of itself may determine what type of vehicle you get. If you have a larger vet clinic that can handle the largest animals but cannot generate enough business to pay the payment, you�ll lose your clinic and your job. Conversely, it may drive you to find a used vehicle to save money, so you can price your services at a rate that will generate a constant stream of work.
Remember that it is what you keep, not what you earn, that determines how much you really earn from the mobile vet clinic. And if you cannot afford the payments yet, consider working for a stationary vet clinic for a while as you save up money for your own business. But always make sure you earn enough to be worth the effort instead of owning your job while clearing less than you�d make as a veterinary clinic employee.
Find the Right Support Staff
Driving your mobile veterinary clinic to a farm is not the time you want to field the call to schedule your next appointment. You may want to hire a virtual assistant to schedule appointments, answer client calls, and deal with collections so you have as much working time as possible. Some mobile vet clinics hire a vet tech to help them while they�re working on animals and handle clerical duties when they are driving.
If you do decide to go this way, make sure that you only hire students from recognized schools, like the ones featured on qualityeducationandjobs.com. You should also research coordinating care with a stationary veterinary clinic; this allows you to have somewhere already in mind to send animals in need of emergency care, surgeries, and hospitalization your mobile clinic cannot handle.
Conclusion
If you want to start your mobile practice on the right foot, make sure you follow the tips in this article. But first, secure the necessary licenses before you do anything else. You can then concentrate on things like equipment and marketing once you�re compliant with your particular jurisdiction.
