IT for clinics where the equipment is as busy as the staff
A veterinary clinic is part medical practice, part retail counter and part lab. When the network drops, the X-ray workstation cannot reach patient records, reminders stop and the front desk cannot take payment. Clearpine Technologies is an Abbotsford managed IT provider with experience in clinic infrastructure; see our clinic build case study, and our pages for medical clinics, dental offices and allied health clinics.
What veterinary clinics typically need
- A network that carries more than office traffic. Practice software, digital X-ray, ultrasound, in-house blood analyzers and monitors often share one network with the front desk. We separate clinical equipment from staff and guest devices and document who can reach what.
- Reliable practice management software. We support all the major veterinary practice management software. Whether the system is hosted or runs from a server in the back room, it needs working accounts, individual logins, updates scheduled outside appointments and a tested way back if it fails.
- Imaging and lab data that is not lost. Radiographs and lab results are large and clinically important. Backups should cover the image archive and equipment workstations, not just the office files, and be test-restored. See EMR backup best practices for BC clinics; the same principles apply.
- Client data kept private. Client names, addresses, phone numbers, payment details and pet histories are personal information. Encrypted devices, multi-factor authentication and prompt removal of access when staff leave are the basics. See PIPEDA and clinic IT.
- Payments, phones and printers. Card terminals, VoIP phones, label and receipt printers and reminder systems are small items that stop the day when they fail. We support them during business hours.
- Equipment in messy places. Treatment rooms, kennel areas and surgery can be hard on computers and Wi-Fi. We plan device placement, cabling and access points with the layout of the building in mind.
- Mobile and satellite sites. Mobile vets and clinics with more than one location need secure remote access and consistent device setup.
- Ransomware readiness. Patching, endpoint protection, email filtering and an offline or immutable backup copy. See five security gaps we see in clinics.
What managed IT costs
Managed IT support is $95 per user per month, with a minimum of 5 users and a 1-year agreement, delivered remotely during business hours. Microsoft 365 licences, after-hours support and on-site visits are billed separately. On-site visits are free if the problem cannot be fixed remotely. Clinics with fewer than 5 users are welcome: we can set up custom billing.
How we work with veterinary clinics
- A free IT assessment, on site within 300 km of Abbotsford or remote, with a written list of risks ranked by importance
- Fixed-scope projects for new clinics, renovations, moves and hardware refreshes, scheduled around surgery and appointment hours
- Ongoing managed support for users, devices, network, firewall and backup
We are not a law firm or a regulator and do not give legal advice. What applies to your clinic is a question for the College of Veterinarians of BC, your association and your own counsel. We help implement and document the technical safeguards.