Launching in the UK, following creation and widespread adoption in Sweden, FirstVet (www.firstvet.com/uk) is an animal clinic for the digital generation: providing pet-owners with video consultations (via smartphone, tablet, or computer) with local, qualified veterinarians, on-demand.
Following its Scandinavian launch in 2016, FirstVet has been used by over 110,000 Swedish pet owners, providing advice for every domesticated animal: from cats and dogs to hamsters and horses. Building on this Scandinavian experience, FirstVet will provide British pet owners with fast and affordable access to consultations and introduce a new way of working for UK veterinarians.
Bringing Swedish Success To The UK
FirstVet has experienced accelerated growth in Sweden, with user numbers more than doubling since last summer; at the start of 2019, FirstVet was providing nearly 10,000 consultations per month. Swedes have lauded the service as ‘essential’, with over 25,000 customer reviews contributing to a 99.6% customer satisfaction rating. In both the Swedish Apple and Google Play app stores, FirstVet’s ratings are consistently high (averaging 4.9 and 5.0 respectively).
Now, FirstVet is launching in the UK. In a country where 45% of households own a pet, and 20 million of which are cats and dogs (according to 2018 Statista figures), FirstVet provides a new digital model to unlock and expand a domestic veterinary market estimated to be worth £2.1 billion by 2023 (Mintel 2018 study).
Matching the growth in, and acceptance of, video consultation for human health issues, FirstVet is a trailblazer in bringing the benefits of digital platforms to the veterinary sector. The use of electronic communication and information technologies to provide veterinary clinical care remotely means FirstVet’s 10-15 minute consultations offer an easily accessible first port of call, with a competent professional at the end of a videofeed able to assess the pets’ conditions. The consultants can then offer advice and prescriptions, as well as referral to the nearest appropriate clinic, or provide peace of mind by confirming that a health issue is not serious. Each month, the FirstVet consultants improve the lives of thousands of animals from cats, dogs, rabbits, reptiles, to birds, hamsters, and horses.
David Prien, co-founder and CEO of FirstVet comments: “Telemedicine has proven increasingly integral to human healthcare, and our animal friends should benefit too. Through FirstVet we establish a natural first point of contact before assessing whether comprehensive physical treatment at a vet is needed. Veterinary care is not subsidised by the government, so people need to know that they can depend upon a service that is both reliable and cost-effective.”
How FirstVet works - For Pet-Owners
With consultations available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, concerned pet owners need only wait minutes before one of the trained veterinarians joins via video chat ready to offer professional advice. The quick and easy process avoids unnecessary journeys to a traditional veterinary clinic, which are more costly and time-consuming.
Consultations cost between £20 within normal working hours and £30 for weekends and evenings, rates which are 60-70% cheaper than a physical veterinary consultation.
www.firstvet.com/uk
