There’s a Catch-22 right now... Pet owners don’t ask about hospice services, and veterinarians...

What is your practice doing to inform pet owners about hospice?There’s a Catch-22 right now . . . Pet owners don’t ask about hospice services, and veterinarians don’t offer information because, they say, pet owners aren’t asking about it.

– Amir Shanan, DVM

Copyright © LW Marketworks, inc. 2015

Using hospice as a practice differentiation tool

Positioning your hospital as a leader in progressive, compassionate care


Offering hospice care says a lot about a practice . . .

. . . But is your practice allowing your hospice / end-of-lifeprogram to speak?

If you are not marketing hospice, you are missing out on a powerful attribute for DIFFERENTIATING your practice – plus you are not reaching pet families who may be looking for options for their pet.


BTW -- we are NOT talking about . . . .• Would you like to find out about our hospice

program?• Are you interested in hospice care?• I think your pet might need hospice – are you

interested?• We have hospice – would you like to hear about

it?

This is PUSHING – this is NOT marketing.Copyright © LW Marketworks, inc. 2015

Instead, create a true point of difference

• Understand client needs, fears, worries, anxieties.

• Provide what is meaningful, of value, of benefit, a “lifesaver.”

• Attract pet owners because of what you provide.

In other words, PULL instead of push.Get their attention, capture their interest, hit a

NERVE – get them to WANT to know more.

NOW that is MARKETING.


Use hospice to differentiate your practice

Today / 4 steps:1. Listen. (Where it all starts) 2. Make hospice part of practice IDENTITY.3. Make hospice REAL. (What does it MEAN?)4. Become a local advocate.


1. Listen. (where it all starts)

When it comes to hospice and end-of-life care, if pet owners are not asking about it it’s because it is the VETERINARIAN who should be doing the asking.

NOT:• Do you want hospice

care for your pet?• Are you interested in

finding out about hospice?

INSTEAD:• Start conversations by finding out what pet

owners have to SAY. • This is what CLIENT- FOCUSED practices do.


What do they worry about?

In speaking with pet owners, some have likened end-of-life

decisions to a similar experience as they have faced with aging

parents. Just like with aging parents – our dilemma is NOT how

they will die – it is how they will LIVE their last days.”

-- Katherine Goldberg, DVMCopyright © LW Marketworks, inc. 2015

Ways to listen

Forget:• Surveys• How are we doing?• What can we do

better?

Insights must come from

clients themselves

YOU have to ask the questions.

• View of end of life /quality of life

• An Advance Directive• Outreach to clients who

recently lost pets / their experience

• Visiting pet owners at time of care

BTW -- What does listening SAY

about your practice?


2. Make hospice part of practice identityWhat does hospice STAND FOR at your practice?


Is hospice just another service area?

– Surgery − Spay / neuter– Dental care − Vaccines– Wellness exams − Laser therapy– Boarding − Puppy / kitten care– Grooming– Hospice / euthanasia– X-rays


Or is hospice a WAY of practicing veterinary medicine?

Hospice is best regarded as a philosophy of care or a framework

for decision making. – Kathleen Cooney, DVM


What’s the difference?

Service:• Randomized list – NO meaning

to pet owner• “Do you want to buy some hospice today?”

NOTE: Many practices are making hospice part of “the list” – AUTHENTICITY varies greatly.

Way of practicing: • Part of practice’s

philosophy of care.• ELEVATES importance of

hospice instead of downplaying it as part of “the list.”

• Says is an integral and essential part of your practice.Copyright © LW Marketworks, inc.

2015

Make hospice stand for somethingHOW?• Philosophy of care that reflects hospice principles• Commitment or promise to patients / patient bill of

rights• Integrate hospice philosophy into multiple areas:

– Geriatrics– Chronic condition care,– Care for terminally ill patients– Advanced diagnostics (MRI example)– Surgery


Where?

• Lobby & exam rooms

• Discharge instructions

• Exam reports (yes!)• Client info pieces

• Website – NOT hospice page – integrate!

• Client email newsletter

• Appointment reminders


In doing this . . . . . . We remind all clients that the veterinarians are advocates for pets at ALL stages of life. Open conversation about the patient’s disease, age, therapy – with an emphasis on comfort and quality of life – is what pet hospice is all about.

Source: McVety, Dani, DVM and Gardner, Mary, DVM, Veterinary Hospice & Human-Animal Bond, Veterinary Team Brief, January/February 2014, pp. 20-21.


3. Make hospice REAL. (What does it MEAN?)

It has to LOOK like you offer hospice care.

Just SAYING it is NEVER enough.


We need a common LANGUAGE

Practices use the term “hospice” on their websites and in

promotional copy, but not all of them mean the same thing.

Practices need to define what hospice is and not assume that

pet owners define it in the same way.

Source: Jarolim, Edie, Spreading the word on hospice care, Trends magazine, May 2014,

pp. 39-42.


What does hospice MEAN?

To Veterinarians/Staff Get everyone “on the same

page”to insure CONSISTENCY.

Procedures & protocols• Treatment protocols• Home care protocols• Client information /

training• Request for home visits• After hours and holidays• Nursing care if any• Distress calls


What happens when you don’t?

If you say you have “hospice” & do not meet client expectations,

you risk losing credibility & trust.

Let’s look at some practices that SAY they offer hospice care.

Hello , I’m calling for information on your pet hospice services . . .Copyright © LW Marketworks, inc.

2015


Practices that say they offer “HOSPICE” on their websitesLet me have the doctor call you. He can answer your questions. (I don’t have questions – I just want to find out about your hospice program.) It’s just like hospice for humans. If a pet’s on their last leg and if nothing can be done – like when they have bone cancer and it spreads throughout. We help you keep them comfortable – different meds -- or you can euthanize them. (Put on hold – let me check) It’s support from the doctor. Help in making decisions. Meeting with one of the doctors and talking about options – options for euthanasia as well. From website (unedited and unabridged): Saying goodbye to a long-time friend is painful. We work with clients to ensure their pet's comfort and dignity at the end of their life. Our services include group burial, group cremation, or private cremation.Um . . . Let’s see .. . We have a brochure. Give me a minute. You get 10% off all meds. It’s $100. We do house calls; is individualized, supportive care, education, pain management, at home care, daily journal for tracking; also euthanasia. It’s for pets with heart disease, kidney disease, cancer and joint issues. (It’s not for geriatric pets?) It can be.Can you hold? I need to get the best person to answer that. (The “best person” came on the phone.) Um … we do house calls; euthanasia for established clients. (Your website says you have hospice services.) I did not set up the website. From website: (unedited and unabridged): Saying goodbye to a long-time friend is painful. We work with clients to ensure their pet’s comfort and dignity. Services include taking care of the remains as directed by the client. We also provide house-call euthanasia service for our established clients.

Practices that say they offer “HOSPICE” on their websites

What? (hospice) Yes we do. Kennel staff is here all day. Unmedicated is $28 a day; medicated is more. (Hospice?) Oh .. . yes we do offer those services – we do have kennel staff – but not here 24/7. From website: Are you having problems caring for a terminally ill pet at home? Does your pet have a medical condition that is painful or causing poor quality of life? Are you afraid that your sick or elderly pet is suffering? Saying good-bye to a beloved pet is one of the most difficult situations a pet owner will ever encounter, but trying to decide when it is time to say good-bye can be even more difficult. There are times when all the capabilities of medical science have been exhausted and euthanasia is the only way to prevent an animal from suffering needlessly. You want to know pricing? (No) Well I know there are a couple of options. But I am not authorized to speak about this. Can I have a technician call you? Website (exactly same as above)Information on our what? Oh.. . We don’t make house calls. Are you looking for a traveling vet? (no, hospice ) Well, we’re a full service vet hospital with 3 vets. Website (exactly same as above)We refer out for cancer treatment – or anything very serious. What issues are you dealing with? Website (exactly same as above)

Which program? Hold on. We don’t have a program for hospice. (Then why is it on your website?) The vet can visit your pet at home – but you have to do the first visit here. (Do you have a hospice program?) Not really.

Make it REAL for pet ownersGive them value they can EXPERIENCE:• Checklists for at –home

monitoring• Tips for comfort care• Calendars for administering

meds• Instructions for

administering meds• Mobility assistance resources

• Support groups• Pet owner training /

workshops• Lists of treats / foods to

entice picky eaters• Ways to stimulate interest in

food• Blogs with heartwarming

stores• Get other pet owners to

share!Copyright © LW Marketworks, inc.

2015

Also address emotional needs• Rituals or special things to do for / with your pet• Putting together a “bucket list” for your pet • Special pets / those who defied the odds• Options for honoring the pet, including options for remains • Coping & grief counseling• Words to uplift & comfort • Helping surviving pets adjust • Helping children cope • Places to donate pet supplies, foods


4. Become a local advocate

NOT for hospice!

For what then?

Make it relevant & meaningful to THEM!


What is meaningful?

What do pet owners CARE about?

What’s on THEIR minds?

• Caring for big dogs when they get old

• Options for seriously ill pets• Dignity for aging pets• Pain management• Caring for growing number of

geriatric pets

• Euthanasia not only option (we used in Michigan)

• Pet loss is a real form of grief• Pet loss and children• Pets and cancer• Pets and loss of mobility• Alternatives to costly & risky

treatment


How to become a local advocate?

• Workshops• Speaker / community groups• “Products” – guidebooks, calendars, other• Events – such as memorial services• Local publicity (media coverage)


Hospice publicity (media coverage)• Must be relevant and meaningful to readers,

viewers (they do NOT want to hear about you!)• Angle must be ISSUE-oriented• Multiple spokespersons (WHO will they want to

hear from the most?)• If possible, include an action / an urgency


Worth watching

WDIV- Detroit (NBC) See the kitty, FLASH. She has been in hospice care for 3.5 years!

https://youtu.be/fPuPytgRloE


https://youtu.be/fPuPytgRloE

In conclusion . . . Your practice says . . . .. . . “We honor the human-animal bond, we treat

pets like family, we treat your pets like our own.”

Adopting a hospice program at your practice is a perfect way

to DEMONSTRATE all of this . . . That is . . . if you give your

hospice program a chance to speak. Copyright © LW Marketworks, inc. 2015

There’s a Catch-22 right now... Pet owners don’t ask about hospice services, and veterinarians...

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