Speak with Confidence in Client ConversationsFebruary 10, 2014 When I dialed a clinic to follow up on a training inquiry, the receptionist answered “ABC Veterinary Hospital. Can you hold?” I replied, “Sure.” While I was on hold for seven minutes, a radio station played AC/DC’s “Shook Me All Night Long.” Although I’m a fan, it’s wildly inappropriate on-hold music for a health-care business. Whether I was a favorite client calling about a sick pet or a phone shopper interested in becoming a client, how I was put on hold was a put-off. Employees’ ability to speak with confidence affects perception of value and client retention and recruitment. The client-service team is your practice’s most valuable business asset, so train employees to project confidence during every conversation. Here’s how. Answer the phone with a smile. Often, greetings are said so quickly that it’s hard for the caller to understand the name of the business or employee. Even though receptionists repeat the greeting hundreds of times each day, it creates a first impression with callers every time. Let callers hear the smile in your voice and eagerness to help. Slow down and enunciate your words rather than sounding like you’ve just finished a triple espresso. …
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Word Makeovers can Boost Compliance and Grow RevenueFebruary 10, 2014 While consulting at a practice where dental compliance was 17 percent, I shadowed exams to determine why clients weren’t accepting treatment for their pets. The first exam revealed answers. After the veterinarian explained his diagnosis of grade 3 dental disease, he said, “The girls up front will give you an estimate when you check out.” After the client paid, the receptionist said, “Here’s your dental estimate.” The client left without scheduling the procedure. Extreme Makeover A communication makeover would significantly improve client compliance, patient care and hospital revenue. Taking the practice from its current 17 percent dental compliance to the AAHA benchmark of 38 percent 1 could bring $274,561 in additional revenue over the next 12 months (see Table 1). Five communication shortcomings were the cause in this practice. First, employees used the term “estimate” instead of “treatment plan.” Second, treatment plans were handed to clients without interactive conversations. Third, clients received treatment plans in the public lobby. Would you feel comfortable asking medical or financial questions with an audience? Next, front-desk employees gave clients treatment plans. Technicians, who perform dentistry, would be more skilled …
Scrub in or rub in?January 30, 2014 Dr. John Smith is getting ready for his first surgery of the day. He puts on his cap and mask, adjusts them methodically, and starts to rigorously prepare his hands for surgery. He grabs a brush soaked with chlorhexidine scrub and goes to work, as if it were a ritual: First his fingers, then the palm of each hand, then the back, then his wrists, then his forearms, for a full five minutes, just like he has been doing for the past 15 years as a surgeon. Sounds perfectly acceptable, doesn't it? What Dr. Smith doesn't know is that his surgical scrub routine is actually detrimental to the health of his hands, increases the likelihood of contamination, and puts him at risk of developing occupational dermatitis. Meanwhile, Dr. Denis Verwilghen of Copenhagen, Denmark, is getting ready for his first surgery of the day. He puts on his cap and mask, adjusts them methodically, and starts to rigorously prepare his hands for surgery. He first gently washes his hands with a mild, non-medicated soap, dries them with a non-sterile paper towel, and then meticulously rubs a hydroalcoholic solution on his hands and arms for a couple of minutes — until they are …
Do You Have a Hobby?January 23, 2014One method of coping with compassion fatigue and burnout is having a hobby that you can enjoy outside of work (and even better, away from caregiving). We talk about hobbies when I present these topics to an audience. Typically, when I ask how many people have hobbies, about one-third to one-half of the room raises their hands. Then I follow it with, how many of you spend as much TIME as you would like, doing that hobby? And many hands go down…but it's encouraging to see some stay up in the air! I like to think that I am one of those with my hand up, for the first question at least. I have hobbies, including: Writing … I love to write non-work-related fiction and non-fiction; Painting ... miniatures such as characters in strategy games like The Hobbit with tiny goblins and dwarves; Painting … 3-D pictures of seasonal scenes, such as the changing colors of Autumn or a winter holiday scene; Jewelry making ... especially beads and pretty pendants; Scrapbooking. …
Christmas Gift Ideas For Surgery LoversDecember 3, 2013 Running out of time or ideas to make your surgery-loving colleagues happy? From affordable to higher-priced, here are some suggestions to get you started. For better aseptic technique, individual self-sealing sterilization pouches are safer than cut-off pouches on a roll. The concern with the latter is that it is difficult to open them and empty their contents in a sterile manner. Self-seal pouches may cost a few pennies more, but they will improve patient care by decreasing the contamination risk. Depending on the size, each sterilization pouch costs less than 5 cents (e.g. 3.5 by 10 inch) to under 10 cents (e.g. 7.5 by 13 inch). An anesthetized cat with a warming blanket. Surgical ties are designed to keep the patient in position during surgery. Using appropriate ties will avoid cutting into the skin or causing a tourniquet effect. Proper positioning and reasonable tension can prevent lasting tissue damage. Ideally, ties should be placed right above the carpus and the hock. Arguably, two loops are better than one to even out pressure on the skin. You can get four …
How To Tame Your Email AddictionSeptember 30, 2013 I have a confession to make: I had an addiction. I was an email hoarder. I had well over 12,000 emails in my inbox--and that was counting only my main email account. I tried to treat my obsession, but "life” always seemed to get in the way. So after hitting rock bottom, one of my goals emerged: cleaning up my inbox. Accomplishing this task has been a huge relief, mentally and almost physically. Fair warning: Some readers may have arrhythmias reading this article. Dealing with email has become a very emotional endeavor. But as they say, awareness is the first step to recovery. You may need to make some bold decisions. So be bold. It is interesting how some colleagues rationalize. A practitioner explained to me, "Yes, I am a borderline hoarder, but at least with email there is no physical clutter!” If you are an email hoarder as well, here are some pointers and solutions to stop the madness. * Trim and Simplify. Seriously question your need for multiple email addresses. Do you truly need a work email, in addition to a personal Gmail account, a Hotmail account for rebates …
When Should You Retire?September 10, 2013 I have been telling myself and others I was never going to retire. I truly believed I would just keep working until I faded into the sunset. I started to work for the veterinarian across the street from my home in Mitchellville, Iowa, when I was 11. My first job was to help a sow in dystocia by delivering four live pigs. It was great fun and I was hooked from that point on. I started to help with farm calls on Saturdays and after school and then full time during the summers. When I was in Veterinary School at Iowa State University the great practical experiences I had in junior and senior high helped me put context to most everything we were taught. The hands-on experience was invaluable during professional school. Early in my career I wanted to practice companion animal surgery in private practice, which I did with my mentor/partner from Iowa, Dr. Don E. Sceli, who had moved from Mitchellville to Phoenix and had started a companion animal practice. We practiced together for six years and started three practices. Eventually we sold the practice and I returned to Iowa State University to …
Callback Programs Can Generate $404,000 A YearSeptember 10, 2013 At Main Street Veterinary Hospital in Flower Mound, Texas, every technician and client-service representative calls four clients per day with overdue-patient reminders. Employees submit completed call sheets daily to a manager. Main Street Veterinary Hospital pays employees $5 for every overdue preventive care visit that gets completed. "Some staff earn $75 to $80 extra per paycheck, so it’s a big incentive,” says Practice Manager MaryBeth Soto, CVPM. If the hospital paid a $75 bonus, the employee would have booked 15 overdue preventive care exams. According to the 2013 AAHA Veterinary Fee Reference, 8th edition, the total for an adult canine preventive health visit is $208, while cat owners spend an average of $186.1 Based on industry norms that 60 percent of patients are dogs and 40 percent are cats, you’d have nine dog exams at $208 each and six cat exams at $186 each for a total of $2,988—a great return on a $75 investment. Talking to the Clients While callbacks can produce immediate revenue, the primary purpose is to be patient advocates. Remember, dogs and cats can’t answer phones, check email or drive to …
Revitalize Reminders And Watch Income RiseAugust 22, 2013 Since adding reminders for lab work, diagnostics have increased to 26 percent of income at Park Hills Animal Hospital in Park Hills, Ky. That’s higher than the industry benchmark of 18 percent found in a 2012 State of the Profession study.1 Veterinarians target pets ages 2 to 7, offering clients a $105 screen that includes a complete blood count, chemistry panel, heartworm/tick screen, urinalysis and thyroid screen. "Doing early detection has been one of our greatest successes,” says owner Mark Collett, DVM. "It’s important to check the pets that aren’t sick.” While you can’t predict when pets will become sick or injured, you can anticipate when they’ll need preventive care. Exams, diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutic diets and parasite preventives are renewable services that generate 38 percent of revenue.2 Reminders drive future visits. As a practice consultant, I frequently overhaul reminders as the top business growth strategy. Too many hospitals approach it as "that’s the way we’ve always done it” and aren’t adapting reminder methods based on today’s trends. Here are proven strategies to revitalize your reminders and watch income soar. Reflect your standards of care. …
Explaining Finances With ConfidenceAugust 7, 2013 When Tyson, a 14-week-old pit bull puppy, was playing with another dog, he fell off the couch and fractured his leg. The pet owner had funds available on his MasterCard for the $1,000 surgery but didn’t want to max out his card. Maureen Lovett, front desk supervisor at Rutland Veterinary Clinic & Surgical Center in Rutland, Vt., explained financing through CareCredit. The client put $500 on his MasterCard and financed the balance. "About 25 percent of our clients need a little extra help beyond their credit cards,” Lovett says. Having access to financing was a win-win outcome for the client and clinic. In 2012, Rutland Veterinary Clinic’s clients financed $208,550 through CareCredit. The AAHA-accredited general practice with four veterinarians also offers emergency care and orthopedic surgery. Communicating When you communicate with confidence about finances, more clients will accept the level of care that their pets need. Here are the tips I offer when I coach teams on communicating about finances. Choose the right words. Say "treatment plan” instead of "estimate.” "Treatment plan” emphasizes needed medical care, while "estimate” is simply about money. Also update forms in …
