The rVetLink Portal: A New Tool Connecting Veterinary Practices
Last year I wrote about the State of Veterinary Practice Software in Veterinary Team Brief and described a case where on-demand access to medical records from another hospital was unavailable but would have proven valuable.
The JSI Group is a startup that has been working on a solution to this problem through their rVetLink platform. I’ve seen it in action and know firsthand the impact it can make. Below is an interview with Matt Russell, Co-Founder of the JSI Group, introducing veterinary practices to the technology.
One editorial note before beginning: referring veterinarian (or primary veterinarian) may be referred to as rDVM, pDVM, or rVet in the below.
Q: What is rVetLink and how did this get started? JSI Group is a Tulsa-based technology company focused on developing solutions for specialty/emergency veterinary practices.
Our platform, rVetLink, provides referral practices with an interactive portal and notification system used to better communicate with their rDVMs. rVetLink allows specialty/emergency practices to seamlessly share referral reports, lab results, image studies and other key medical history data with their referring practices.
Q: Can you explain how it works to the non-techy? rVetLink includes an rDVM Portal that integrates directly into the specialty/emergency practice website where referring veterinarians can log in to view their patient’s treatment status and updated medical records. Our notification system automatically pushes information to the rDVM including check-in alerts, discharge notices, patient status updates and deceased patient messages.
These notifications can be transmitted via email, fax or both depending on the rDVM’s preferences. All functionality is driven by our proprietary data integration with practice management software databases.
Q: Which practice software does it currently support? We currently support data integration with practice management systems that are common in the specialty/emergency space including Cornerstone, DVMAX, ImproMed, ezyVet, Signature, VIA and AVImark.
Q: What about the security of my records? All data is encrypted and then securely transmitted to a best-of-class cloud data platform. The referral practice has full control over what records get shared and when data is transmitted.
Q: Is there an app? How does it work? Yes, we released a new rDVM mobile app (iPhone, Android) that can be fully white-labeled by the specialty/emergency practice.
Features include the ability for rDVMs to submit eReferrals, review upcoming CE opportunities, browse articles, text clients referral details and more.
Q: What if my referral hospital doesn’t offer this service? We are in discussions with most referral practices across the country. If your preferred hospital does not currently offer this level of access, it’s likely they will soon. Please feel free to ask them about rVetLink and their plans to implement an rDVM portal and notification system!
Q: What is the future for rVetLink? There’s a lot of room to grow and a lot more functionality to build. We are continuously looking at opportunities to develop features that further streamline communication between specialty and general practices. We will be focusing on stronger, bidirectional access to records and even deeper integration with veterinary practice management systems in 2017.
Q: What can you tell us about pricing? rVetLink is a subscription-based, cloud platform. The referral practice pays a one-time implementation fee that covers set-up, customization and training. A monthly subscription fee is billed once rVetLink is fully launched and rDVMs are activated. There is no cost to the referring practice.
Q: What else would you want veterinarians to know about rVetLink? Demanding industry conditions are driving both specialty and general veterinary practices to seek tools to increase efficiency, lower costs, and improve the quality of care. For referral hospitals, there is particular pressure to build stronger, more transparent partnerships, the lifeblood of specialty/emergency practices.
rVetLink provides a solution for these conditions and has been validated by actual demand from specialists seeking a solution to their information-sharing challenges. The platform is already in use and making a big difference at many of the nation’s largest referral practices!
About the Interview
Matt Russell is the Co-Founder and Vice President of JSI Group, a veterinary technology company focused on building solutions for specialty/emergency practices. Matt has a clinical background as a veterinary technician and has started three other successful companies in the animal health space over the last 20 years. He has a deep understanding of how practices operate and loves developing tools that help veterinarians improve efficiency, streamline workflow and deliver a higher level of care to their patients. Outside of work, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and playing racquetball.
