Need a vet? Digital consultations are the way to go, says this entrepreneur

In light of International Women’s Day, we shine the spotlight on Singapore-based female entrepreneurs who have pivoted and adapted their businesses due to Covid-19 and brought about positive change to our lives.

Caring for a pet is no mean feat, especially when the beloved pet in question falls ill or gets injured. And that’s when mobile veterinary services and teleconsultations come in handy — they aren’t just for time-strapped owners, but an alternative for easily stressed pets, too.

During the Circuit Breaker, particularly, while vet clinics were considered essential services, many pet owners were unable to bring their pets in, unless it was for an emergency or for a non-elective procedure. This saw an uptick in the demand for digital pet services.

Launched in 2019, online pet healthcare provider ZumVet connects pet owners with a network of vets across the island and offers teleconsultations through its in-app video platform as well as house calls and delivery of medicine.

Athena Lee, 39, is one of its co-founders and CEO, together with COO Grace Su. With a background in finance, the former CEO of Doctor Anywhere, a Singapore-based telemedicine platform, jumped on the idea of creating a digital veterinary platform after her own pet came down with a UTI infection.

“As a first-time pet owner and busy professional, I found it difficult to juggle the demands of work and being a responsible pet owner — in fact, I had let my cat go undiagnosed with a UTI infection for over a year, thinking that she just had a love-hate relationship with the litter box.

There’s so much information to consume especially on the Internet that decision-making for a pet owner is not necessarily easy. We wanted to create a platform that offers easy access to a reliable source, and empowers pet owners to make good everyday decisions. Our mission is to make responsible pet ownership possible and achievable on a larger scale.”

She tells us more about mobile vet services, how the pandemic has impacted the business and pet care, and moving forward in times of crisis.

What has been most challenging about mobile vet care?

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Athena Lee (AL): Veterinary care is a fragmented industry here in Southeast Asia, operating within a very traditional framework. Other countries such as the US and UK are way ahead of us in terms of their progression of pet care.

Being the first players in the SEA market has been challenging in developing a consumer-first, remote-care solution as most clinics and vets were initially resistant to the idea — but consumers were looking for a solution like us that made accessing a vet much easier.

70 per cent of pet owners hadn’t been to the vet in a year citing inaccessibility! Having a solution like ours encouraged them to seek help earlier from a professional.

What are the advantages and limitations of mobile vet services and teleconsultations?

AL: Going back to the example of my cat with the undiagnosed UTI, what I later realised was that there were behavioral signs that indicated a more serious medical condition, but I did not know what to look out for at the time.

It wasn’t until I completed a video consultation that I realised I needed to bring her into a clinic for further diagnostics.

The vet typed up a referral letter and I was at a clinic that afternoon. This perfectly exemplifies how remote health can be an essential part of every pet owner’s healthcare journey. We want them to ask questions early and often to prevent serious conditions from escalating.

That said, we are aware of the fact that not all conditions can be treated via telemedicine, especially in cases that require blood work or scans. In such cases, our vets will refer pet owners to a clinic and explain the next steps.

Oftentimes, we act as the first point of contact for pet owners who just want to understand what their options are and what they should expect.

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Are there any restrictions to the types of pets that ZumVet treats?

AL: Restrictions to telehealth tend to be around conditions and not so much species. But that said, it is important to recognise that in some species, especially those that tend to mask their symptoms, visible symptoms may already be signs of an emergency.

What are you most passionate about your job?

AL: There are many things I love about my job, but first and foremost is that we have created a mission-driven company that puts the well-being of pets first.

Some of our most loyal customers are community feeders and shelters, and it is very encouraging to see how technology can make healthcare affordable for all animals.

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How has Covid-19 changed the veterinary landscape?

AL: Covid-19 has forced users to adopt digital solutions for all aspects of their daily lives and veterinary care is no exception.

The biggest change came from vets themselves, who found a reason to integrate technology into their practice and encourage a more patient-centric approach.

What challenges did you face during the circuit breaker and what changes did you have to implement?

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AL: Our service offering was quite different pre-Covid-19 and centred more around house visits, but we recognised the need to refocus our service offering to video consults and had to make operational adjustments within a matter of days.

That served us well and the pandemic proved to be an inflection point for us. Not only did we see organic growth from a consumer perspective, vets and clinics were also turning to us as a solution to the restrictions imposed during the circuit breaker.

What do you think is most important in running a business during times of crisis?

AL: Listen to your users – more than ever, people wanted a sense of community and to feel supported. Being quick to listen and pivot your business.

How do you think the industry will evolve in the near future?

AL: The veterinary ecosystem is currently quite traditional, but we do foresee more collaboration going into the future.

Especially because of the coronavirus and social distancing measures, clinics will need to find a meaningful way to collaborate with remote care providers. We view this as a positive change, one that will encourage pet owners to put their pets’ health first.

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What can we expect from ZumVet in the near future?

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AL: ZumVet’s customers are at the heart of everyone and our vision is to make quality veterinary care affordable and accessible to all. As a starting point, pet owners want a reliable and trustworthy resource that they can rely on to find the answers they need.

For example, if my cat suddenly started wheezing, could it be the haze that is affecting their respiratory health? By incorporating a digital element into your pet’s health, we are building an online to offline care ecosystem that looks after all their healthcare needs.

We will also focus on using data to improve diagnostics, automate the triaging process and build online resources to help pet owners understand the health of their pet better and optimise healthcare decisions in the long run.

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.