Shepherd is built to support the way vets work - in the clinic or on the road. For our mobile practices, we’ve gathered together some tips to help you stay connected.
Shepherd does not provide support for third-party hotspot devices or network setups. Check with your service provider to determine which options are best for your location.
Mobile Hotspot Devices (MiFi)
A mobile hotspot device provides a dedicated hotspot that is typically more reliable than phone tethering to keep you connected when on the road. We recommend looking for an option with dual-band Wi-Fi, long battery life, and optional external antenna support if signal is weak.
Data Plans
You'll want to pick a plan with plenty of high-speed hotspot data to make sure you're always connected. You're looking for a plan that prioritizes hotspot data and has strong LTE/5G coverage in your area and the areas you serve.
Create an Offline Backup Plan
Shepherd needs an internet connection, but that doesn't mean that work has to stop if you lose it. We recommend having a backup plan for those moments so when you're back online, it's easy to pick up where you left off. Things like writing your SOAP notes in Notes/Google Docs and pasting them into Shepherd once connection has been restored. Best practice, come up with a consistent naming scheme to make things a little easier when it comes time to enter them into Shepherd.
Extras
Need additional connectivity support? Take a look into signal booster antennas and portable chargers!
To recap, there are lots of options to keep you connected while you're on the road! You're looking for the fastest connection speed with the best coverage. Your service provider will be able to go into details on what works best in your area.