Digital medical practice wants to fill the gap in care
The number of four-legged friends in the state capital is growing quickly. As a result, local veterinarians are increasingly reaching their limits – appointments are becoming scarce and delays are becoming more frequent. At the same time, many owners hardly have time for traditional treatment appointments in their everyday working lives. This is exactly where the startup Rex comes in: with digital support via app, real-time diagnostics and a well-thought-out spatial concept, it is opening a new practice in Düsseldorf-Friedrichstadt. Co-founder Jonathan Loesing explains how the concept reduces waiting times, brings electronic patient records for animals to smartphones and focuses on the needs of a technology-savvy, urban generation.
Dusseldorf. In 2024, there were 33.9 million pets living in Germany – a record high (1). This boom is also noticeable in Düsseldorf: the number of registered dogs in the city rose by around 14.2 percent to over 26,500 between 2019 and 2024 (2). This also increases the capacity utilization of local veterinary practices and leads to a shortage of appointments. At the same time, another trend is exacerbating the problem: Millennials and Gen Z in particular are increasingly viewing their pets as family members (3). They attach great importance to high-quality medical care and expect digital tools and availability around the clock. “This is exactly where we come in,” says Jonathan Loesing, managing director of the startup Rex. “So that our four-legged friends receive the best possible care, a visit to the doctor must be as uncomplicated as an appointment at the hairdresser. We use the possibilities of digitalization for this purpose. We solve the bureaucracy problem by allowing the paperwork to be completed digitally using a smartphone.” Together with his co-founder Julian Lechner, Loesing recognized the problem early on. As early as 2021, they developed the Rex veterinary practice concept, which combines modern medical care with digital care via an app. In November, the startup is opening a new location in Düsseldorf-Friedrichsstadt, at Friedrichstrasse 20.
More and more young people with pets? Why this could soon become a problem
In parallel with the growing number of four-legged friends, more and more representatives of Generation Z and Millennials are moving to Germany's cities. According to forecasts, the number of 18 to 30 year olds in Düsseldorf will increase to around 106,600 by 2035 (4). “Veterinary medicine has to respond to this growing target group. Young people in particular are increasingly buying pets. For them, the fluffy companions sometimes even replace their desire to have children,” explains Loesing. “If this trend continues, the scheduling problem could worsen and become a danger to pets,” emphasizes the founder. In order to cope with the situation, the company is offering extended office hours and flexible online appointment scheduling. Pet parents can describe their concerns in detail, eliminating waiting times in the practice. Thanks to real-time diagnostics in in-house laboratories, test results are usually available on the same day.
From online shopping to ePA –
Düsseldorf is a digital pioneer
The state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia is now one of the most digital cities in Germany. Banking transactions, shopping and leisure activities have long been organized using an app. “Düsseldorfers are tech-savvy and value efficiency. These expectations don't stop at the vet. Medicine also has to adapt to people's wishes and needs,” says Loesing. Rex is therefore moving as many processes as possible to the smartphone: invoices are sent by email, notifications about appointments and test results are available via app. The heart of the system is the electronic patient file, which is integrated directly into the practice software. “This means that pet owners don't have to explain the history of their four-legged friends every time. All data is stored centrally and can be accessed at every Rex location. This means that medical care fits seamlessly into the digitally influenced everyday lives of Düsseldorf residents,” explains the founder.
Wellness for four-legged friends:
This makes visiting the doctor more relaxing
In addition to digitalization, Rex attaches particular importance to a pleasant and stress-free experience on site in the practices. This should not only satisfy the owners and mistresses, but mainly the fluffy companions. And for good reason: “If the environment exudes calm, the four-legged friends are more relaxed and the treatment is easier for everyone involved,” explains Loesing. To achieve this, the company relies on modern interior design, separate waiting rooms for dogs and cats and small extras such as snacks and toys. “With this approach of digital organization and relaxed on-site care, we want to help owners get the best possible treatment for their pets in the current pet boom,” concludes Loesing.
About Rex
Rex is a startup founded in Berlin in 2021 by Jonathan Loesing and Julian Lechner. On the one hand, Rex operates its own, modern, technology-supported veterinary practices. On the other hand, Rex also offers a digital platform for pet owners for veterinary appointments, telemedicine and an electronic medical record. Rex's focus is on a pleasant customer experience, digitalized processes and first-class veterinary care. The company has already raised over five million euros from investors and aims to digitize the market for veterinary care and make it more efficient. More information at www.rex.app.
Sources:
1. https://www.zzf.de/pressemeldung/der-deutsche-heimtiermarkt-2024
2. https://www.nrz.de/staedte/duesseldorf/article239597257/In-D uesseldorf-steigt-die-Zahl-der-angemeldeten-Hunde.html
3. https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/1016–9040/a000552
4. https://www.duesseldorf.de/fileadmin/Amt12/statistik/stadt forschung/download/Bevoelkerungsprognose_2035.pdf