The Non-Techy Guide to this Website
"Techy: tech-y [tech-ee], noun, pl techies – a person who is skilled in the use of technological devices, such as computers."
Most Veterinarians are Not Techies
I get it, not everyone is technologically inclined. But this website is not just for the veterinarians who double as techies. You know who you are, non-techies, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of! I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how this website can help you.
Veterinarians and their medical team members dedicate their lives to becoming experts at caring for animals. This leaves little time to keep up with all the new technology available. Many veterinary team members have no experience or don’t see the value in technology. Others have the skills to use most types of technology but not necessarily the expertise to leverage them towards assisting their daily practice.
No matter your comfort level with technology, odds are you can find some useful ideas on this website. Below is what I recommend to remedy your technology deficiency:
Google often.
Adopt-a-Techy. In other words, seek out that individual in your personal or professional life who is a techy.
Googling
You are (or work with) a doctor of veterinary medicine, an expert in your field. You had to do at least a little research to get to where you are in life! Learning to use any type of technology is much easier than what you’ve already done. I know because I’ve done it too! In fact, with the advent of blogs and internet forums it has never been easier to learn technology tricks.
Internet research (typing questions into a search engine like Google) is how most techies become techies in the first place.
So learn to use Google to answer your questions. Simply type what you don’t understand into Google using various keyword combinations until you get your answer.
Google early, Google often.
Do You Know a Techy?
If you are not a techy, chances are you have someone in our life who is a techy. And that person can become your go-to when you need help implementing or experimenting with the ideas on this website. I think befriending a techy is the fastest way to utilize this website without any technological sophistication.
Trouble locating a techy? Just look for the word NERD tattooed across their forehead. Either that or count the number of devices at their workstation. The higher, the better.
Call us what you will: computer nerd, dork, guru, hacker, prodigy, geek. We know who we are and we are not ashamed by it. In fact, us techy types rarely mind if you ask for help. We like to see people using technology in the same awesome ways we do.
Throughout this website, this concept will be referred to as Adopt-a-Techy.
So seek out your techy. They can teach you their techy ways, little by little. Bring them coffee or bake them some cookies from time to time. They are your gateway to pursuing better patient care through technology!
About the Author
Dr. Caleb Frankel is an ER veterinarian, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. He currently divides his time between two roles: emergency veterinarian at VSEC, a 70-doctor referral hospital in Greater Philadelphia, PA (USA) and the founder of Instinct Science, a new animal health company helping the world’s state-of-the-art veterinary practices streamline their care through medically-driven invoicing and thoughtful automation.
He served as Director of New Product Development at Brief Media for 4 years where he lead the development and launch of products such as Plumb's Veterinary Drugs and New York Vet. Follow Dr. Frankel on Twitter @VMDtechnology.
