Signing up for a veterinary teleradiology service is easy. Getting your entire team using it correctly comes down to week one. Whether onboarding is thorough or nonexistent often decides whether that first week goes smoothly or turns into a flurry of incorrectly submitted cases and missed follow-ups. Here's what to expect from a good onboarding process.
A Walkthrough on How to Submit a Case, Not Just a Login
You should be shown exactly how to submit a case: what format to send images in, where to add clinical history, and how to flag a case STAT versus routine. If a login and a welcome email is as far as onboarding goes, your team will be troubleshooting on your first real case.
Practice Management System Integration, If Applicable
If your provider offers integration with your practice management software, onboarding should include actually setting that up, not just confirming it's possible. Get specific about how reports will arrive: injected into the matching order in your existing software, or delivered as a separate email you attach manually. The RadsForVets platform injects reports directly into the matching radiology order inside ezyVet and Instinct, and is actively adding integrations with more PIMS systems.
How to Contact the Provider if Something Goes Wrong
You should know how to reach the provider before your first case, not after: a wrong login, a report that hasn't shown up, a question about a specific case. A good onboarding process gives you a direct point of contact, not just a generic support email you hope gets answered promptly.
Setting Expectations on Turnaround and STAT Marking
Use onboarding to confirm what counts as STAT for your provider, and how your team should mark a case to get that priority. If your team submits its first real emergency case without knowing this, you risk losing time on exactly the case where speed matters most.
An Opportunity to Test It Out First
Ask if you can submit one or two test or low-stakes cases before your team relies on the service for true emergencies. This surfaces workflow gaps, a confusing submission step, an unclear STAT marker, while there's no actual emergency on the line.
What Good Onboarding Tells You
How a provider handles your first week is a good preview of how they'll treat you long-term. A rushed, login-only onboarding usually leads to a hands-off relationship. A provider that walks your team through submission, confirms your integration, and gives you a real point of contact is signaling the kind of ongoing support you can expect going forward. The guide to outsourcing veterinary radiology covers what to settle before you reach that first week.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
What should a veterinary teleradiology onboarding process actually include?
A real walkthrough of case submission, confirmation of any practice management system integration, a direct point of contact for questions, and clarity on how to mark a case STAT.
How long should onboarding take before my team relies on a veterinary teleradiology service for real cases?
Ask if you can submit one or two test cases first. This surfaces workflow issues while the stakes are low, rather than during a real emergency.
Does veterinary teleradiology integrate with practice management software automatically?
Not automatically. Ask specifically how reports will arrive: injected into your existing system's matching order, or delivered separately as an email attachment.
Who should my team contact if something goes wrong with a submitted case?
You should have a direct point of contact confirmed during onboarding, not just a general support inbox you're hoping responds quickly.
Why does onboarding quality matter for a veterinary teleradiology provider?
It's a preview of the ongoing relationship. A thorough onboarding process, not just a login, usually signals a provider that stays responsive after you sign up.
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