43
Selavka opened her practice in 2009, and she covers a 60-mile radius, providing everything from wellness care to emer- gencies, dentistry and diagnostics to radi- ology and surgery services. When asked about her typical patient,
Selavka says, “We honestly do not pick and choose our demographics, but they seem to be skewing themselves to a more attentive, committed clientele by virtue of the additional cost of travel.” Selavka’s motivation to start a mobile
clinic began after she spent more than a decade at a large referral center in nearby Springfield. After it closed, she worked in local clinics but did not find the right fit. “I decided this would give me the flex-
ibility to practice referral-level medicine ‘in clients’ driveways,’” she says. “I also had begun to hear the ‘Do you do house calls?’ question more frequently.” There are definite pros and cons to
operating a mobile practice. Selavka relates that for her, the pros include flex- ibility and the luxury of taking whatever time is needed for an appointment. “If we run late,” she says, “we know
our next client is at home, not stuck in a waiting room.” She said she also feels a more personal connection with pets and their families. “In a time when a great deal of medi-
cine (veterinary and human) is becom- ing increasingly corporate, clients really appreciate the step-back in time that house calls bring,” she said. Lower overhead costs and the notion
that every day is very different are also appealing aspects of her mobile practice. “We are out and about, not stuck in a building,” Selavka says. The field does have its drawbacks.
For Selavka, the New England weather, terrain and high fuel prices are daunt- ing obstacles. In addition, the inability to work on more than one patient at a time and the fact that tasks typically done during down time in a stationary practice (e.g., restocking, opening deliv- eries, faxing) cannot be done until the end of the day’s appointments add to the challenges.
Trends magazine, November 2012
“Probably the biggest con is the fact
that if the bus is ‘down,’ the whole prac- tice is basically down,” she says. “Unlike a stationary practice, if the air- conditioning or such is down, you can still carry on while the problem is repaired.” In terms of marketing her business,
Selavka works for reduced prices at a local animal shelter to build clientele and the practice name. She also takes out newspaper ads and uses a “billboard”— she parks her 27-foot, logoed truck in very conspicuous places.
MWV Mobile Veterinary Sandy Brown, DVM, practices at
both Mercy Animal Hospital and MWV Mobile Veterinary, based in Conway, N.H., near the Maine border. She sees a variety of small and large animals at the brick-and-mortar practice, and she visits many farms and rural locations with her mobile clinic. After working in small-, mixed- and
large-animal practices for more than 10 years, Brown found herself with the opportunity to create her own practice niche and to continue to create the client rapport that is so important to her. She installed cabinets in her minivan,
enabling her to carry medical gear as well as use the vehicle to transport her three young children. Her practice grew, to the extent that she soon hired an office man- ager to handle setting up appointments, order supplies and do paperwork. Brown began with a mobile practice,
and she has since added a fixed location. “When the economy became chal-
lenging, more and more clients began to request I see them from my home clinic rather than travel to them,” she says. “I rented space, remodeled it, and now see many of my small-animal and some large-animal patients at that location.” Word of mouth is her largest market-
ing tool, although Brown does use tele- phone book advertising and a robust website to reach clients. As with other mobile veterinarians,
Brown faces a number of challenges with her practice.
“We honestly do not pick and choose our demographics, but they seem to be skewing themselves to a more attentive, committed clientele by virtue of the additional cost of travel.”
—Carolyn M. Selavka, VMD, MS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68