Every Minute Counts:

Comparing Workflow Efficiency of Biologic Therapies

By Marc Bordelon, DVM, MBA

Overview

Regenerative medicine options have expanded from patient-specific orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapies, to standardized biologic products that can be prepared and administered rapidly at the point of care.

Dog with vet

As veterinary practices continue to face increasing demands on time and resources, workflow efficiency has become an important consideration when evaluating treatment options. According to the 2024 AVMA Benchmarking Report, revenue per veterinarian hour averaged $288 in 2024.1

With veterinarians spending approximately 30 minutes per patient on average, procedures that require additional collection and processing time can create scheduling challenges, particularly during busy clinic hours, emergency appointments, or field service calls.1

The AVMA notes that reducing operational bottlenecks can improve overall practice efficiency, making preparation time a meaningful factor in treatment workflows.1

Treatment Workflows at a Glance

One of the most significant workflow differences among regenerative medicine options is the amount of preparation required before treatment.

Shelf-ready biologic products are designed to minimize preparation requirements. For example, lyophilized products can typically be reconstituted and prepared for administration within minutes, eliminating the need for patient collection and processing steps.

By comparison, PRP and other autologous biologic therapies require collection and processing prior to administration. Blood or tissue collection, centrifugation, equipment setup, and preparation all add time to the procedure and often require additional staff involvement. Because these products originate from the patient, their composition may also vary based on factors such as age, health status, collection technique, and processing methods.2-5

A Comparison of Clinical Time

Preparation requirements vary among products and protocols, but a typical comparison may look like this:

Treatment Type Preparation Steps Workflow Considerations Typical Prep Time
PRP Blood collection, centrifugation, preparation Requires equipment, staff time, and patient-specific processing 20 to 30 minutes
Stem Cell Therapy Cell collection, processing, expansion, preparation Longer preparation timelines and additional handling requirements Multiple days to weeks
Shelf-Ready Biologic Reconstitution prior to administration Designed to minimize preparation steps at the point of care 1 to 2 minutes

While preparation times differ by clinic and protocol, processed therapies generally require substantially more hands-on time before treatment can begin.

What is that Time Worth?

Using the AVMA benchmark of $288 in revenue per veterinarian hour, each minute of veterinarian time represents approximately $4.80 of revenue-generating capacity.1

Dog with vet

Assuming a shelf-ready product requires 1–2 minutes of preparation and PRP requires 20–30 minutes, the additional processing time associated with PRP ranges from approximately 18–29 minutes per case. At $4.80 per minute, this represents approximately $86–$139 in clinical time value per case.

This estimate should not be interpreted as lost revenue in every circumstance. Rather, it illustrates the potential value of time that could otherwise be devoted to appointments, procedures, client communication, or other practice activities.

The AVMA notes that reducing operational bottlenecks can improve overall practice efficiency, making preparation time a meaningful factor in treatment workflows.1

Beyond the Procedure

Preparation requirements can influence more than treatment time alone. Additional collection and processing steps may affect the ability to accommodate late-day appointments, urgent cases, weekend treatments, or same-day procedures. In some situations, scheduling constraints may delay treatment until a later visit.

Products requiring minimal preparation may help simplify workflows, reduce logistical barriers, and support same-visit treatment decisions when clinically appropriate.

In Summary

Modern regenerative medicine includes both processed autologous therapies and shelf-ready biologic products, each with distinct workflow requirements.

Compared with therapies requiring collection and processing, shelf-ready products can significantly reduce preparation time and associated operational complexity. Using AVMA benchmarking data, the additional processing time commonly associated with PRP may represent approximately $86–$139 of clinical time value per case.1

While treatment selection should always be based on clinical judgment and individual patient needs, workflow efficiency remains an important consideration for practices seeking to balance patient care, scheduling demands, and operational performance.

References

  1. American Veterinary Medical Association. (2024). Benchmarking data plus elevating efficiency equals practice productivity. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/news/benchmarking-data-plus-elevating-efficiency-equals-practice-productivity
  2. Rossi, L., Ranalletta, M., Pasqualini, I., Zicaro, J. P., Paz, M. C., Camino, P., & Piuzzi, N. S. (2023). Substantial variability in platelet-rich plasma composition is based on patient age and baseline platelet count. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, 5(3), e853–e858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2023.03.017
  3. Tey, R. V., Haldankar, P., Joshi, V. R., Raj, R., & Maradi, R. (2022). Variability in platelet-rich plasma preparations used in regenerative medicine: A comparative analysis. Stem Cells International, 2022, Article 3852898, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3852898
  4. Pachito, D. V., Bagattini, Â. M., de Almeida, A. M., Mendrone-Júnior, A., & Riera, R. (2020). Technical procedures for preparation and administration of platelet-rich plasma and related products: A scoping review. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 8, Article 598816. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.598816
  5. Stein, S. M., & Mandelbaum, B. R. (2022). Platelet-rich plasma: Processing and composition. In G. Filardo, B. R. Mandelbaum, G. F. Muschler, S. A. Rodeo, & N. Nakamura (Eds.), Orthobiologics. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84744-9_10