Veterinary practice management & client relations Obj. 2.01: Implement the proper techniques to schedule appointments and manage clients. Obj. 2.02: Execute effective communications through written, verbal, and technological formats.

Practice management

Veterinary appointment book Typically done through computerized systems although some facilities still use paper systems

Types of appointment schedules 1. Wave: maintained by veterinarian that sees a total number of patients within a set time. The vet will determine how many patients in an hour 2. Flow: based on each patient being seen at a specific time with the most common interval being 15 minutes. Easy for the veterinarian to get behind Fixed office hours: clients are seen as they arrive. There is little control over the flow of patients

Types of appointments 1. Routine Appointments: seen during the appointment schedule with each routine spaced out according to how long it is expected to take. Yearly physical examinations Vaccinations Sick patient exams

Types of appointments 2. Surgical Appointments Kept in a separate appointment book and schedule Done at specific times of the day May have specific days for specific surgeries Surgery schedules may have a specific drop off time Schedule should include the following: owner name, phone number, patient name, breed or species and surgical procedure Pre-surgical instructions are given to the client and should include: Not feeding 12 hours prior to surgery Not giving water 8 hours prior to surgery Bring in pet at a specific time Signing surgical release form Signing pre-surgical blood work consent form Signing estimates for services Alerting the staff and bringing in prescribed medications

Types of appointments 3. Emergency and Walk-In Appointments Emergency is an appointment that must be seen immediately and is a life or death situation. Common emergencies include: hit by car, severe wounds, bloat, and other Walk-Ins are clients that show up without an appointment. To serve emergencies and walk-ins, allow several slots during the day to space out so not to interfere with already scheduled appointments.

Types of appointments 4. Drop Off Appointments Allows for flexibility for both the owner and staff It is important that the owner sign consent forms with contact numbers for the health care team if any questions arise

Types of appointments 5. House Calls Usually at the client’s home or farm Most hospitals will take phone calls and return messages after reviewing schedules All files for clients should be assembled prior to the appointment Extra forms are included in the case that there is an unreported problem

Organizing the appointment book Most appointment books are available with 15 minute time slots. The appointment book should have ample room to write in ALL information.

Scheduling appointments All information should be written in pencil so changes can be made if an appointment cancels or needs to be rescheduled. If filing system method is alphabetical then appointment should be written last name first. If filing system is numeric then record the client number. Hospital will have recommendations for common veterinary procedures and the amount of time that the appointments should take.

Working with the client When an appointment is scheduled, read back the date and time of the appointment to make sure all information is accurate. When at all possible give appointment cards to remind client of appointment dates. Be sure new clients have clear directions to the facility.

Policies and procedures Provided to each staff member so everyone will understand rules and regulations including ethics and each manual outlines expectations. Policy manual provides information regarding what the staff expectations are. Procedures manual provides rules regarding the workings of the veterinary facility.

Client relations

The communication process A. Five essential components: 1. Sender- person trying to relay an idea 2. Message- the idea 3. Receiver- person intended to understand the message 4. Channel- route of communication (verbal, non-verbal, and written) 5. Feedback- receiver returns the message

The communication process B. Verbal Communication 1. Spoken words between two or more people 2. Most common 3. Important to be able to speak well to other people

The communication process C. Non-verbal Communication 1. Interaction between people without the use of spoken words 2. Body language- mannerisms and gestures that tells how a person feels 3. Positive body language will assist in dealing with upset clients

The communication process D. Written Communication 1. Used for progress records, writing letters, memos, emailing or texting someone 2. Must be clear, accurate, and understandable 3. Keep a notepad and pencil next to the telephone to record accurate messages

The communication process E. Technological Communication 1. Many animal hospitals today use alert systems to send out reminders via e-mail, text message, or utilize social media 2. This form of communication utilizes written communication through non-traditional means 3. Veterinary Assistants should treat this form of communication as written and each message should be cognizant of limitations to avoid complications

Appropriate communication skills A. Courtesy- putting someone else’s needs and concerns before your own. All people should be treated with respect and professionalism B. Kindness- exemplifies being helpful, understanding, and working in a friendly manner. Treat others as you would like to be treated C. Patience- trait that demonstrates calm demeanor in all situations without any negative complaints

Appropriate communication skills D. Tactfulness- doing and saying the appropriate things at the correct time E. Sympathy- sharing feelings with each other in a time of sadness F. Empathy- being able to understand another’s feelings at a particular time

Interacting with people A. Speaking 1. Speech communication requires practice and experience 2. Conversations from people may have no focus on the task at hand and will have to be clarified 3. Remember that each person is different so treat each person as an individual

Interacting with people B. Listening 1. Essential in veterinary field 2. Train to focus on what is being said 3. Hear what is being said and think about the words to clearly understand the main point C. Observation 1. Used to pay attention to a person’s body language and speech

Grief and communication terminology 1. Grief- an emotion that people feel after they have lost a pet or loved one. The close emotion is known as the human animal bond 2. Euthanasia- process of humanely ending an animal’s life 3. Humane- used to describe what is considered acceptable by people in regards to an animal’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being

Grief and communication terminology 4. Shock- emotion of sudden death of a pet 5. Denial- person may not accept the pet’s death 6. Bargaining- allows the person an attempt to resolve the pet’s problem by any means possible 7. Acceptance- owner understands and accepts that the pet has passed away 8. Anger- natural emotion in the event of the trauma

Grief and communication terminology 9. Sorrow- emotion that leads to sadness over the loss of the pet 10. Depression- state of sadness where a person becomes so sad they can’t handle the normal functions of daily life 11. Guilt- stage when a person feels he or she should be able to do something to save their pet