Veterinary practice management is both rewarding and exciting. Combining working with animals along with business acumen in an efficient environment goes a long way towards satisfied customers and their happy, healthy pets.

Not only can you thrive in the ever-changing world of this profession, but the fact that it makes a huge difference in the lives of owners and their animals is a great reason to manage your practice well.

It’s All About Team Effort

Working in a vet clinic is a team effort with each member provides support and mutual respect for each other. Because of the complexity and diversity vet practices have, successful managers need to be great at management stakeholders such as the animals, their owners, suppliers and nurses while at the same time multi-task on a daily basis.

 

Create A Healthy Environment

Remember that a healthy, happy office environment does not just appear out of nowhere. Collaborative efforts and a great system carefully nurtured will produce top notch, veterinary practice management. Here are some Dos and don’ts of veterinary practice management to keep your practice going strong and thriving year after year.

Do’s

  • Be available for questioning outside office hours, within reason
  • Give pets that have stayed overnight a free bath
  • Schedule your client’s next appointment before you leave.
  • Don’t keep clients waiting. Include them in treatment decisions and give your undivided attention.
  • Keep the restrooms, exam rooms and waiting rooms clean
  • Hire a friendly staff that greets each client when they come in
  • Rotate staff assignments and expect thorough reporting
  • Eliminate gossip in the workplace and promote open communication
  • Prioritize attitude over skills. A good attitude can’t be learned but aptitude can be
  • Promote a culture of caring. Support the staff in difficult moments, emotionally
  • Involve the team in socializing or team-building activities outside the office to bond better as a group
  • Email campaigns, blog posts and newsletters offer clients educational content, so do offer this.

 

Don’t

  • Don’t overprice customers, keep the prices reasonable and affordable
  • Don’t overwork your staff members, make sure they take the appropriate breaks
  • Don’t underpay the staff, ensure just compensation
  • Don’t exclude staff members, include everyone in the team no matter what their role is.
  • Don’t exhaust yourself with overwork. Open and close at the appropriate hours
  • Don’t forget to write reports and keep updating and checking on animals/ recovery and their owners.

 

Veterinary practice management is a balancing act day in and day out. You never really know what walks in the door. Prepping your staff and hiring like-minds will go a long way towards assuring you of a thriving practice that benefits both you and your community.