Analysis of 13,921 emergency service cases

Summary

The analysis of 13,921 emergency service cases at a small animal clinic shows a clear misdistribution:
• 17% true Emergencies
• 45% urgent cases
• 38% medically non-acute cases

This means: More than one in three emergency service cases is avoidable.

For insurance companies, this has direct consequences:
• unnecessarily high claim costs
• inefficient use of resources
• rising premium burdens
• dissatisfied customers

Consequence
Digital triage before using the emergency service is an immediately implementable lever for reducing costs and increasing quality.


1. Problem: Systematic mismanagement

The veterinary emergency service is currently being used incorrectly in a structural sense:
• Pet owners find it difficult to assess the urgency
• Low barriers to access → direct use of emergency services
• No upstream control
• Emotional decisions dominate

Result:
Non-acute cases block capacities and drive up costs.


2. Economic relevance for insurance companies

Direct costs
• Emergency service treatments are significantly more expensive than regular practice visits
• Surcharges (night/weekend) increase costs massively
• Diagnostics are used more frequently and defensively in emergency services

Indirect costs
• inefficient loss ratios
• increasing pressure on premiums
• higher customer cancellation rates
• burden on partner clinics


3. Data-based classification

From the 13,921 cases:
≈ 5,300 cases (38%) are potentially avoidable in the emergency service

→ Up to 80% of cases are fundamentally controllable.

This is not a marginal phenomenon, but a structural efficiency problem.

4. Solution: Digital triage before the emergency service

A digitally supported triage system enables:

For insurance companies
• management of utilization
• reduction of unnecessary emergency cases
• better predictability of claim costs

For pet owners
• clear recommendations for action
• more security
• avoidance of unnecessary costs

For veterinarians
• relief in the emergency service
• focus on true Emergencies


5. Economic effect (model)

Conservative scenario:
• 38% non-acute cases
• 30–50% of these successfully redirected

→ Reduction of emergency service cases by ~12–19%

With typical additional costs in the emergency service, the result is:

→ Potential savings in the double-digit percentage range per claim group


6. Strategic importance for insurance companies

Insurance companies can actively manage instead of just reimbursing
• Integration of digital triage into the customer app
• Linking with telemedicine
• Steering to partner practices
• data-based pricing

From cost bearer to care manager.


7. Implementation

1. Pilot project with digital triage
2. Integration into claims processes or app
3. Monitoring (usage, savings, customer satisfaction)
4. Scaling


8. Conclusion

The data clearly shows:
• The emergency service is frequently misused
• A significant proportion of costs is avoidable
• Digital triage is an immediately effective lever

Insurance companies that manage early on secure clear competitive advantages.


Contact / Demo / Meeting / Cooperation

For pilot projects, data analysis, or implementation of digital triage solutions: