Veterinary Holiday Coverage Shouldn’t Break Your IT

Posted by Computer Solutions on December 22, 2025

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Every December, veterinary clinics juggle the same balancing act: staying open for urgent visits and boarding services while giving staff the well-earned time off they need. That means rotating shifts, condensed hours, or temp workers stepping in to help.

But while your schedule flexes for the season, your IT setup might not be so forgiving.

If you’re not careful, one misstep in access control or remote setup can snowball into downtime, billing issues, or worse, exposing your clinic to avoidable security risks.

Here’s how to prep your tech for safe, smooth veterinary holiday coverage. Your holiday coverage plan doesn’t turn into a support ticket storm.

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Know Who’s Working and What They Can Access

It sounds simple, but many clinics rely on shared logins or “quick fixes” to get holiday staff into systems. That leads to:

• Confused permissions
• Forgotten password resets
• Open accounts long after the holidays end

1. Set up individual logins for temporary or rotating team members—even if their access is limited and short-term.
2. Use role-based permissions to give access to only what’s needed (not full admin rights).
3. Disable accounts immediately after coverage ends. Don’t let January roll around with extra users still active.
4. Keep a log of all active users and permission changes during the holiday season.

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Remote Access: Secure or Sketchy?

If a staff member is answering calls from home, logging in to prep records, or checking emails off-hours, they need secure access, not a workaround.

• Use a vetted remote access platform with multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Avoid giving access via personal devices unless they’re enrolled in endpoint protection.
• Confirm that VPNs, remote desktop links, or browser-based systems are tested and documented before holiday shifts begin.
• Set automatic logouts on remote sessions to prevent idle connections from staying open.

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Print, Scan, Repeat: Keep Shared Devices Running

The team might be smaller, but the equipment workload isn’t. Label printers, scanners, and network-connected devices often struggle with rotating users especially when each person uses them a little differently.

• Test shared devices the week before the holiday schedule kicks in.
• Load extra label rolls, ink, and paper so you’re not short mid-shift.
• Post simple one-pager guides near each device (e.g., how to reconnect the printer or scan to email).
• If your clinic uses shared tablets or mobile devices, check that all software is updated and passwords still work.

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Who’s Handling Tech Issues?

Your regular “tech-savvy” person might be on vacation. And when something breaks, most holiday crews don’t know who to call or how to reach them.

• Print or post your IT escalation plan in a shared location
• Make sure holiday staff know how to submit a ticket or reach after-hours support
• Notify your IT provider of your altered hours and emergency contacts
• Assign one holiday shift lead per day to handle IT escalation (even if they just make the call)

This might be the most overlooked part of a veterinary holiday coverage plan, but it’s also the one that reduces panic the fastest.

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Holiday Schedules = Security Gaps

From unlocked desktops to reused passwords, the holidays are prime time for little security lapses that can have big consequences.

• Lock devices when unattended even on skeleton crew days
• Remind staff not to write down or reuse passwords
• Audit user access logs when the holidays end
• Be cautious of holiday-themed phishing scams (fake e-cards, delivery notices, or donation requests)

Even just a 3-minute refresher can cut your risk dramatically.

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Your Holiday Readiness Checklist

Before rotating coverage kicks in, ask yourself:

• Do all scheduled staff have individual, limited-access logins?
• Are remote access tools secure and functioning?
• Have shared devices been tested, updated, and stocked with supplies?
• Does the team know how to reach IT support during and after hours?
• Is your clinic protected from common holiday cyber threats?
• Do you have a plan for offboarding temporary users in January?

If you’re unsure on even one of these, now’s the time to prep, not when the front desk is slammed and the label printer stops working.

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Don’t Let Tech Be the Weak Link

At Computer Solutions, we help veterinary clinics across the country prepare for holidays, storms, and staffing transitions. Whether you need to provision temporary logins, audit your access controls, or just make sure the front desk scanner won’t break on Christmas Eve, we’ve got your back.

Call 609.514.0100 or visit welinku.com for a quick holiday-readiness consult.
We’ll help make sure your veterinary holiday coverage includes the one team your staff always forgets to schedule: your IT partner.

Want to learn more about veterinary IT and cybersecurity? Check out last week’s blog post here and subscribe to our newsletter here!