Adding equipment to an in-clinic lab can help streamline diagnosis and treatment implementation. Photo courtesy Bionote USA When a veterinary clinic is considering making an equipment purchase, the first question decision-makers typically ask is whether the business can afford what is on the price tag. While this is an important and understandable consideration, it can sometimes lead to a narrow-minded approach to cost analysis that does not account for the dimensions of price, nor does it allow the practice to consider the income that could be added. A more well-rounded approach to assessing affordability includes a full evaluation of cost and the impact that the investment could have on the practice. This approach to financial decision-making can help clinics better understand the true value of a potential purchase while preventing sticker shock from getting in the way of financial decisions that can elevate a practice. Peeling back the price tag At a fundamental level, nearly everyone understands the basics of cost comparison. The option with the lowest price that can correctly and reliably accomplish the goals driving the purchase is usually the best way to go. However, for some businesses and practices, the “lowest” price may still not be low enough. It is easy for decision-makers who find themselves in those situations to give up on the acquisition, but several options may still remain to help them further lower the cost. First, practices should examine what they are being sold. Many equipment options come with a variety of high-tech features, but how many of those capabilities will the clinic actually use? Cutting out the bells and whistles can help clinics maximize financial efficiency with a model that will provide the desired improvements without unnecessary add-ons. Many manufacturers will offer promotions and discounts, often seasonally or for a limited time, that can provide additional help in lowering the price to a more affordable range. Purchasing programs, such as lease-to-own or deferred payment plans, may also be an option, though in these cases, veterinarians should be careful to review the terms of the agreement and not sign any overly restrictive contracts. Some of these agreements have large minimum purchasing clauses that can contribute to an added expense and cause veterinarians to buy additional products that they do not need. End-of-year tax write-offs may also be available to help further reduce the cost of the purchase, though contracts may impact how much the benefits can be realized in this area. Supplemental costs related to the use of the equipment should also be considered before the initial investment. While some items may only require one larger acquisition, many will need additional smaller purchases, such as tests for a diagnostic analyzer. Some companies will take advantage of this need and sell the larger item for a relatively low cost, with the additional components bringing the real expense. The ink cartridges for at-home printer manufacturers are often an example of this concept. In addition to a lower price tag on these extra items, cost stability is another important consideration in this area. A manufacturer that habitually increases prices can be a real problem for clinics looking to understand, manage, and stabilize their expenses in the long term. Suppliers in the veterinary industry may use less-than-transparent business models, which can understandably make some clinic leadership hesitant to pursue a purchase that seems “too good to be true.” However, equipment acquisitions with affordable price tags, both for initial and supplemental purchases, that offer financial stability and flexibility are out there. These are the types of investments that can have a substantial positive impact on a clinic. Paul Zoyhofski, DVM, summarizes this approach in a simple process: “When I consider a new piece of equipment or a new diagnostic application, I always ask three questions: What is it? How much does it cost? What can it provide me that I don’t have now? Answering these questions gives me a better picture of the item’s value and helps me to determine whether I should proceed.” Bringing home the bacon One way that a new equipment acquisition can positively impact a veterinary clinic is by bringing in additional revenue. After all, the veterinary industry is not an exception to the saying, “You have to spend money to make money.” Investing in tools to add to a clinic’s arsenal often means increasing the services available to clients. This allows practices to retain additional income that may have previously been lost to referral clinics or as send-out costs to other third parties. Bringing new services into the clinic also generally makes them more affordable for the veterinarian or practice owner and, by extension, the client. For example, diagnostic testing without an in-clinic analyzer requires clinics to pay for the tests to be sent out, run, and analyzed by a reference lab. With a high-end in-clinic analyzer, the only cost per test is the test kit and the time spent by employees running it, which results in significant cost savings. One diagnostic analyzer manufacturer found that most of its customers saved over 50 percent on testing costs. Many clinics will opt to pass these savings down to clients as well, with some manufacturers offering clinics return on investment (ROI) tools to help them calculate how much they would need to charge for the machine to pay for itself and subsequently turn a profit. This kind of financial transparency is also a good indicator of a trustworthy vendor. Even with an upcharge to help the clinic recoup on the initial equipment investment, this still creates a win-win scenario for everyone involved. The business is keeping more revenue in-house and lowering costs, while the clients are paying less for services with more options to improve their pets’ health available to them. Running tests in-clinic can help combat issues, such as sample degradation and highsend-out costs, with savings that can be passed down to the client. Photo courtesy Bionote USA Cutting costs for veterinary clients has become particularly important recently. A report published by USA Today in May 2025 shows more than half of pet owners “have skipped necessary veterinary care in the previous year or declined recommended treatment at some point in the past.”1 Cost was a significant driver of this trend, with seven in 10 people who turned down care saying that the expense was either too much or too difficult to justify. This mentality was understandably higher in lower-income families, with 80 percent of those with a household income between $36,000 and $60,000 reporting cost as the key deterrent from accepting veterinarian recommendations. However, cost was also the primary reason for nearly two-thirds of respondents making $90,000 or more who still refused care.1 With the cost of living continuing to increase in the U.S., decreasing the cost of important care resources, such as diagnostic testing, could not come at a better time. Not only will this help bring in more revenue for clinics, but it will also reduce barriers preventing patients from receiving care that will help them live happier, healthier lives. Investing in quality care Reducing costs is not the only way practices can optimize patient care. Some elements of veterinary medicine are simply better for the patient and practitioner when they are available at the point of care, and with technological advances across the industry, those options are increasingly becoming available. Quantitative NT-proBNP testing, for example, was not offered in-clinic until recently. This cardiac biomarker is a highly sensitive indicator of heart disease and underlying conditions, but samples start to deteriorate after just 120 minutes, making it difficult to obtain reliable data from send-out tests. The availability of NT-proBNP as an in-clinic test allows veterinarians to better utilize this diagnostic resource, particularly in time-sensitive cases such as anesthetic planning. “As a practitioner, I’ve found that in-house lab work is essential to providing good medical care,” says Frankie Bowers, DVM, MS. “The cost of equipment plays a role in what a practice can offer. However, handling a sample incorrectly can result in skewed measurements and an incorrect diagnosis. Finding a way to finance equipment that enhances accuracy at the point of care is definitely worth it.” Bringing new services into the clinic also generally makes them more affordable for the veterinarian or practice ownerand, by extension, the client. Photo courtesy Bionote USA Equipment with more capabilities and a more intuitive user interface can also significantly improve staff experience. Burnout is a well-documented issue among veterinary professionals, and the right technology acquisition can help lighten their workload. Many machines also feature intuitive, fast, and easy clinical procedures that can increase productivity while decreasing stress and the need for employees to work overtime. Ultimately, every veterinarian’s goal is to practice medicine to the best of their capability and on their own terms. Investing in equipment that aids in elevating patient care and boosting the practice’s bottom line is the way to accomplish that mission. Randall Knick, MBA, president and CSSO of Bionote USA, a medical diagnostics research and development enterprise providing veterinary diagnostic solutions for nearly 30 years throughout the U.S., Latin America, Australia, Canada, and the Caribbean. Reference Ramirez, M. (2025, June 3). Pet health care prices are so high that most owners are skipping treatments. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/05/31/vet-costs-owners-decline-pet-care/83161751007/.
