Dallas Animal Urgent Care boosts efficiency and wait time accuracy

About the project

Transforming check-ins, room flow, and communication at a high-volume veterinary urgent care.

Dallas Animal Urgent Care is a busy walk-in veterinary hospital that tens of thousands of pet owners visit every year, seeking immediate medical attention for their animals. Prior to implementing WaitWell, the clinic struggled with inaccurate wait time estimates, disorganized room flow, and growing client frustration due to outdated communication methods. Their previous system relied on a patchwork of practice management software, dry-erase clipboards for room tracking, and verbal updates to manage check-ins and patient flow.

In 2024, Dallas Animal Urgent Care implemented WaitWell to create a more efficient, transparent, and stress-free experience for both clients and staff.

“Prior to using WaitWell, client check-ins were done via our practice management software. Room organization and management were done via a dry-erase clipboard. We would also input the room number on the appointment to help communicate where people were waiting to the rest of the team.”

Rayanah Pilgram, Hospital Director, Dallas Animal Urgent Care

Overview

Dallas Animal Urgent Care faced operational challenges with managing wait times, room assignments, and internal communication, all of which negatively affected client satisfaction and staff efficiency. To modernize their workflow, they turned to WaitWell.

By adopting WaitWell, the hospital gained real-time visibility into patient flow, allowing clients to check in remotely or on-site and receive accurate wait time updates. The new system streamlined room assignments, automated staff notifications, and replaced manual tracking methods, resulting in a more organized and responsive care environment.

Challenge

Before WaitWell: Paper processes and communication bottlenecks

Dallas Animal Urgent Care operates in a fast-paced environment with high patient volumes and unpredictable caseloads. However, without a centralized digital system, the staff relied heavily on manual tools – dry-erase clipboards, verbal updates, and notations in the practice management software – to manage patient flow and room assignments. This patchwork approach created frequent communication gaps, inefficiencies, and confusion among team members.

Staff were forced to estimate wait times based on experience or intuition, leading to frustrated clients and a lack of transparency during long waits. Tracking which rooms were occupied, who had been seen, and who had left required constant verbal updates or physical presence at the board, adding to the operational strain during busy periods.

“The biggest challenges were #1 communicating accurate wait times and #2 keeping clients/patients organized – who is in what room, who is next to be seen, who has left, and what rooms are currently open.”

Rayanah Pilgram, Hospital Director, Dallas Animal Urgent Care

These inefficiencies not only impacted the quality of the client experience but also added stress to staff who were already working under pressure. A solution was needed to streamline communication, automate patient tracking, and give clients more clarity and confidence in their visit experience.

Solution

A tailored solution that fits unique veterinary workflows

Dallas Animal Urgent Care faced major operational hurdles: managing room assignments with dry-erase boards, inconsistent wait time communication, and a need for a system that could evolve with their growing, fast-paced clinic. After exploring multiple options, WaitWell stood out for its flexibility and adaptability to their specific needs.

“Our hospital flow and model are very different from other practices, therefore the ‘cookie cutter’ models don’t work… We really needed a program that could be used similarly to how we already practice and that could evolve with us.”

Rayanah Pilgram, Hospital Director, Dallas Animal Urgent Care

Unlike rigid queue systems, WaitWell offered Dallas a customizable platform that mirrored their internal processes while streamlining communication and client flow. To ease the transition, the team adopted a phased rollout strategy, starting with internal staff usage to build comfort and refine workflows before expanding to client-facing tools like kiosk check-in. Pilgram said, “We really stress the value of the program to help to get [staff] onboard… they were able to see that the long line waiting to check in wouldn’t fall solely on them.”

By introducing features gradually, the team avoided overwhelming staff or clients, and could identify and resolve issues early. The reception team also played a key role in helping clients adopt new technology by clearly communicating how it would improve their experience.

Results

Improved workflow, client communication, and treatment visibility

Today, WaitWell is fully integrated into the hospital’s daily workflow – from self-check-ins to staff communication. The system provides a centralized dashboard that updates room status, queues, and client location in real time. Pilgram explained, “We use the Lobby app up in our treatment area so that the treatment team knows where clients are waiting and who is waiting to be seen. Exam room organization and the ability to communicate accurate wait times are the two most valuable features to our practice.”

Full synchronization with practice management systems

The integration between WaitWell and Vetspire eliminated the need for duplicate data entry, increasing accuracy and improving staff efficiency.

“The integration has made all the difference for our hospital to be able to utilize WaitWell efficiently… When a client is ready to be roomed, they are moved to the appropriate room in WaitWell which updates the appointment in Vetspire.”

Rayanah Pilgram, Hospital Director, Dallas Animal Urgent Care

Less stress, more clarity, better experience

The transition to WaitWell has helped reduce staff stress, streamline room turnover, and set clearer client expectations, leading to a better experience even during peak times. Pilgram said, “We have definitely seen reduced staff stress regarding room management and wait time communication… We are able to provide more accurate wait times to clients – this sets better expectations at check-in.” With WaitWell’s digital lobby display and automated status updates, clinical staff can now stay informed without interrupting their workflow. PIlgram said, “My doctors love having the lobby posted in the treatment area… this prevents us from having to go back to a computer and find their location on the schedule or going to the front desk to ask them where a client is.”

Responsive support that enables custom solutions

The hospital’s leadership praised WaitWell’s support team for being proactive and responsive to feedback, helping customize the platform to their evolving needs.

Start small, provide feedback, and watch it grow

For veterinary urgent care clinics considering a queue management solution, the Dallas team recommends a phased approach and ongoing feedback to make the system work for your needs.

“The first piece of advice I would give is to roll it out in phases… Phased roll out also gives the team the ability to learn one piece at a time, which feels much less overwhelming.”

Rayanah Pilgram, Hospital Director, Dallas Animal Urgent Care

Dallas Animal Urgent Care continues to refine its workflow with WaitWell and plans to expand its use to include remote check-ins and better KPI tracking. For busy veterinary clinics, WaitWell offers the customization, efficiency, and communication tools needed to keep staff and clients on the same page.