Ask HN: Would you spend $ on 24/7 vet hotline?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8728517

by dnohr • 12 years ago

2 12 12 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Our pets are precious to us and a part of the family, would you spend $ for a 24/7 vet hotline for questions about your dog or cat?

jmnicolas2• 12 years ago

Short answer : no.

Long answer : I would want to talk to a real vet that have a physical clinic where I can go with my pet if the need arise and not and Indian telemarketer that is reading her prompt and can't do anything for me if my pet need surgery.

dnohr6• 12 years ago

Good reply, thanks. In case you have a pet today, are you having any digital relation to your physical vet clinic? Such as a app with all communication, suggestions, pet data etc.

jmnicolas2• 12 years ago

I should have mentioned it in my earlier post, but I live in France, so I'm probably not a good example for you.

The 3 clinics I know don't even have a website and frankly I don't think it would give them much more added value if they had one.

I'm sorry, it's probably not what you want to hear (I know I wouldn't) but I thought it would be better to have a negative (but frank) feedback than no feedback at all.

davismwfl• 12 years ago

I could see technology being a help here, but I think more so in the communication and status of your pet more than a hotline. I wouldn't pay for a phone hotline because the vast majority of the time it will be a decision tree that results in, ok go see your vet, which to me is useless.

But thinking along those lines, I could see a couple of things being helpful (having a lot of animals in the family):

1. Application that lets your vet update you as to the status of your pet (think like surgery etc) via a push service and lets you check on them through it too. Saving the vet's office from the phone calls. Maybe even video tied in for kenneled pets.

2. Mobile app that lets you connect directly to a Vet and show them what is going on to determine the severity of an issue. This really comes into play where I'd gladly pay $15-20 to save a $75 emergency vet visit to the farm to check a horse. And I know a lot of people would, and those Vet's could save themselves some time on wasted trips for things that aren't really an emergency. I have told our mobile vet that if he would just use Facetime for some of it he would probably save 25-30% of his emergency trips that wind up being just anxious owners.

2a. This same idea works great for those animals that have chronic conditions as well (or specific situations) where taking them to the vet is not always possible, but it would benefit the vet to see the animal (big or small). We just had this with our Cockatoo where it wasn't safe to move the bird during what is like a seizure in a bird, but the Vet wanted to be able to see it. We recorded it on our phone and showed him later, but he said it would've been great to see and be able to talk to one of us while it was happening so we could try a couple of things. And he said it was too risky to transport the bird during that time so that would've been really helpful.

Just ideas.

dnohr6• 12 years ago

Great reply - Thanks. I really appreciate it.

Good points with video and emergency calls, I guess it happens all the time and a lot of time could be optimised by using the new technologies for speeding up the process.

I will note all your comments, it's brainstorming for now.

esw• 12 years ago

I wouldn't, no, but it may be something you can sell to veterinary offices as a service they can offer to their customers. I suspect they'd want to thoroughly vet it, though (no pun intended).

dnohr6• 12 years ago

Thanks for the suggestions - good idea!

debacle• 12 years ago

My vet provides a 24/7 vet hotline for free. They have my dogs' charts. They usually get back to you within an hour or so. They coordinate with other local vets to provide an ER of sorts during off hours.

Your service would be of no use to people who are well served by their vets.

dnohr6• 12 years ago

Thanks for the details, I will note it.

saluki• 12 years ago

no, my vet provides number to call in emergencies there is also an emergency vet that is open 24 hours if our regular vet isn't available.

For Vets . . . I would think about software for them to track their patients . . . maybe invoicing software where pet owners can pay online . . . online appointments/boarding reservations/grooming reservations.

These tools/apps are already out there but you might be able to improve on them or create an all in one tool vets would pay for.

More in line with your question, vets might pay you to man their 24/7 line, or pay for access to a database of symptoms, treatments, etc . . .

Good luck in 2015

dnohr6• 12 years ago

Thanks a lot for your suggestions, great ideas!

I know there a lot competition within the booking area, but I'm brainstorming for a better communication between pet and owner.

I like to simplify all kind of services.

Ask HN: Would you spend $ on 24/7 vet hotline?

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