Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
In an industry where long shifts and overtime is the norm, two vets have come up with a different model—and it’s not just their clinic that is now benefitting. By Rachel Smith
When you’ve just launched a new business baby, having other big commitments on the calendar—like human babies—can be nerve-wracking. Especially when they decide to arrive early, as Dr Bronwyn Orr from The Walk-In Clinic for Animals (WICA) experienced.
“WICA had only been open a week when my waters broke at work and I had to drive myself from the clinic to the hospital, so it was all a bit dramatic,” she laughs. “Perhaps having two babies at the same time was a bad idea! But we’ve managed to make it work.”
Babies in general are a good place to start this story, because creating work-life balance is at the heart of WICA, a walk-in clinic for pet owners that operates in the space between a general practice and emergency vet clinic. It opened in Canberra just four months ago, and is the brainchild of Dr Orr, and her business partner Dr Ashlee Flesser.
“We saw a need for this type of clinic for several reasons—to be of service to pet owners who need care after hours, and to give relief to local emergency clinics and local GP veterinary clinics that are being slammed with patients,” Dr Orr explains. “And the third reason was actually to create jobs and to create a really flexible workplace that would suit those in the veterinary community who are a bit more marginalised, like mums who can’t work the traditional eight to five job lots that clinics require.”
We saw a need for this type of clinic for several reasons—to be of service to pet owners who need care after hours, and to give relief to local emergency clinics and local GP veterinary clinics that are being slammed with patients.
Dr Bronwyn Orr, co-founder, WICA
The flexibility works well for both Dr Orr and Dr Flesser, too. “Both Ash and I have other jobs during the day,” says Dr Orr. “I’m currently the national president of the Australian Veterinary Association and Ash works as a palliative care veterinarian. And we have a lot of mums working with us too who can spend the day with their kids then keep their hand in at night.”
Seeing a need
Dr Orr and Dr Flesser were both working casually at one of the local emergency veterinary centres when they noticed quite a few pet owners coming in, hoping to be seen, and ultimately waiting hours because the centre was already swamped with patients.
They decided they wanted to do something about it—but instead of looking for solutions within the veterinary industry both here and overseas, the pair took inspiration from the human healthcare system.
“In Canberra, we have great walk-in health centres which are nurse practitioner-led and designed to fill the space between the GP and the ER. There are two levels of patients—the less critical ones who are uncomfortable and need to be seen, and the complex cases where you can’t be anywhere but in emergency. A human walk-in clinic can take care of the less critical ones which is pretty much what we do too, except in the veterinary space.”
How WICA operates
WICA rents a daytime veterinary clinic and is open evenings from 6.30pm until 10pm. “We treat one-off clients, with issues such as minor dog fight wounds, abscesses, ear infections or itchy skin—things that are uncomfortable but not really an emergency,” says Dr Orr, adding that most of the cases they get are referred to them by emergency clinics, or daytime vets who have received a call from a pet owner just as they are about to close. “If the daytime vet doesn’t have an appointment available for a few days because they’re so busy, they’ll refer the pet owner to us; we’ll see them that night, get the pet fixed up, do diagnostics and prescribe medication if required.”
If the daytime vet doesn’t have an appointment available for a few days because they’re so busy, they’ll refer the pet owner to us; we’ll see them that night, get the pet fixed up, do diagnostics and prescribe medication if required.
Dr Bronwyn Orr, co-founder, WICA
However, the beauty of WICA’s model is it doesn’t create new, ongoing relationships with the pet owner, but rather ensures the owner’s relationship with their referring vet is preserved.
“We send all histories back to the GP at the end of the night so they have the records and it allows them to keep the clients in their ecosystem.”
Happy vets, happy owners
Not surprisingly, the model has been embraced by Canberra’s veterinary community.
“Vets who refer to us don’t feel like they have to squeeze very patient in; it takes the pressure off their teams and yet their clients are being looked after and are returning to them,” explains Dr Orr. “I think there’s space for us to be a bit collegial and work together to make our lives as veterinarians a bit easier. It’s just a nice way of giving everyone a bit of breathing room, and we’re happy to be a part of the puzzle rather than the full puzzle.”
Pet owners are fans too—especially those who can only see the vet after hours. Plus, WICA is cheaper than an emergency clinic, and has access to charities such as ACT Pet Crisis Support who can help disadvantaged pet owners with their vet bills. “It’s a bit of a social safety net in Canberra,” says Dr Orr, “so it’ll mean our overheads are paid while people who are low socio-economic or struggling financially for some reason can still get vet care.”
Fantastic effort ladies – wonderful solution – including keeping overheads down by utilising a clinic during its downtime. And keeping vets practising without the pressure of ‘the full puzzle’. Hope this is the beginning of a walk-in clinic revival.