When the pandemic began, medical professionals across the country shifted how they deliver care. Dr. Thomas Hyatt and Cassandra Hyatt, owners of Hyatt Veterinary Services, knew they needed to make changes for their community. “Everybody knew there was a pandemic, except the pets,” said Dr. Hyatt. “The pandemic forced us to shift our business in many different directions,” added Cassandra. They started their Orlando, FL, clinic in 2015 with the goal of providing low-cost, high-quality care to a mostly senior and underserved community. In 2020, their pet parent population was also at higher risk for Covid-19.
The team at the clinic started offering virtual visits, where possible, and a curbside contactless pickup option in order to keep their community and staff safe. To ease the burden of the many changes, Dr. Hyatt and Cassandra took advantage of resources offered by CareCredit, their payment solutions partner. They received a curbside service guide, specifically designed for veterinary practices, which helped them develop a system that worked for both the pets and pet parents during the pandemic. “Being able to offer those contactless methods really helped us service [our clients] quickly and efficiently,” Cassandra said.
Prior to the pandemic, the Hyatts ran a high school volunteer program and a college internship program at the practice, and they visited local schools to teach students about animals and veterinary medicine. The programs had to pause early in 2020 to keep everyone safe. But the Pillars Project award from Synchrony and CareCredit has helped give the program a makeover. “The Pillar Prize award money was used to fund a virtual program for students,” said Cassandra. She added that the students could start with the online program, and eventually come into the clinic to volunteer. “We really want to create a stream of interest and learning for this community’s children into veterinary medicine,” she said.
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