Today we’d like to introduce you to DeAnna Douglas.
Hi DeAnna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I, like many vets, recognize the benefits of loving a pet. I had a passion from an early age to help animals. I wanted to be a veterinarian before I could say the word. I was blessed that my path led me to vet school and then to practice. Opening a clinic was not in the original plans, but I wanted a way to ensure a level of care to my patients and service to my clients that I could not necessarily do without owning my own practice. We have been blessed with clients who value the services we offer. I graduated from the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002 and worked for corporate veterinary practices for 7 years until opening Berwick Animal Hospital in 2009. We have enjoyed almost 17 years growing and serving our community in the Greater Savannah Area
Do you have a mission statement, motto for Berwick Animal Hospital? If not, what is the primary passion/reason you started BAH?
Our Original 2009 Mission Statement is the following : At Berwick Animal Hospital we understand the importance of the human-animal bond and are dedicated to helping pets live longer healthier, happier lives.
Starting around 2020, we began to look more closely at what exactly makes Berwick Animal Hospital unique. We have always strived to offer the gold-standard in advanced medical care while simultaneously remaining focused on the client experience and making our families feel at home in the office and at every interaction with our staff and veterinarians. We want to meet each client where their biggest needs are and that makes every client’s situation different. We developed a system of offering a Spectrum of Care at varying price points so that clients can prioritize what’s most important to them and their furry family members when making decisions about their care. We have added the following mission to our original foundation of serving the human-animal bond, and continue to expand the meaning and reach of this commitment : At Berwick Animal Hospital, we provide the highest quality veterinary medical services and customer experiences that meet the needs of our clients and patients by offering a spectrum of care at varying price points.
What gap in the industry are you hoping to fill?
We strive to uphold high quality clinical care standards while also making veterinary services available to a wide range of clients. Our Customer Value Proposition sums it up in that we provide the HIGHEST quality care that meets the needs of our clients by having a spectrum of care options, but never dipping below a certain medical standard. Our standards of customer care are very high and we return value to our clients by developing long-term relationships which bring benefit and value over the years of loyal patronage. Trust is built over the years and we believe very much in the commitment of our practice to the trust and loyalty of our clients.
We offer FULL-SERVICE care at our facility – every life stage and every life style, “Berwick Vet for the life of your pet” is an internal guideline – puppies & kittens, wellness for all ages, preventive care, minor sick care, minor injury care, urgent and acute illness and injury care, emergency care, senior and geriatric care, dental cleanings, oral surgery, elective surgery, non-elective surgical procedures, palliative care and end of life care… all under one roof.
We have a wide network of specialist connections and offer extensive in-house diagnostics as well as send-out reference lab diagnostic options to provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment recommendations to our clients and patients. We honor the bond between client and patient (Pet and pet owner) and see our role in the Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship as an important and sacred honor.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a Vet is very different than running a business. It has been a huge learning curve to create a place for families and their beloved pets, along with veterinarians, employees, local students and the community at large where they can thrive in their passion for and love of our furry friends and the precious bonds we share with them. It has been a wonderful journey seeing the human-animal bond promoted and protected by providing high quality medical care along with fostering long term relationships that support every family’s involvement in seeing their pets live a long, healthy and happy life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have a particular passion for chronic disease management. These are the long-term, in-it-for-the-long-haul-type care plans that promote the well-being of our patients who are diagnosed with incurable conditions. The bonds we build with our patients and clients on these types of care journeys are deep and I enjoy making the investment in supporting the highest quality of life that patients can enjoy when they have a team of veterinarian and care-taker advocating for them together.
What’s next?
We are working towards growth in ALL areas : expanding our hours to include Mondays again, adding on specialized services that meet the needs of our patients in even more specific and customized ways such as osteopathy and other alternative therapies, supporting the education and development of the professionals in our field at every level, keeping up with all the wonderful technological advancements coming out in veterinary care and customer experience, updating our client’s website experience, adding pet portals and online access to details about their pets and appointments, along with online scheduling. We are looking forward to making updates to our building so that our clients feel even more at home when they come see us. We have recently rebranded our entire logo suite and are in the process of planning a complete redesign of our website. We are happy to include the soon-to-be-introduced Olive & Owen in every client’s experience, as they are the main characters in our clinic’s story, two beloved pets who shaped my love and devotion to the human-animal bond.
Pricing:
- A menu of services with options built to fit the most common visit types while also providing discounts off of a la carte treatment plans
- Spectrum of Care for Wellness Visits including an essential care option, a basic care option and two age appropriate complete care options (adult and senior)
- A new build-your-own visit option starting at $99 for clients to consult with our medical team in building a diagnostic and treatment plan that best meets their needs while also being medically responsible and promoting the health and well-being of their pet and their family
Contact Info:
- Website: www.berwickanimalhospital.com
- Instagram: @berwickanimalhospital
- Facebook: @berwickanimalhospital
- Youtube: @berwickanimalhospital5733
