A veterinary practice is like any other team. All of the parts must work together to accomplish the intended objectives. The doctors must work with the technicians, customer service representatives, and support staff to ensure a continuum of care for both the patient and the client that is pleasing. Without teamwork, surprises happen and customers typically hate surprises. Remember this about customers: never surprise them, never frustrate them, and never make them call you back. If there are surprises, you want them to be pleasant and planned. To enhance working relationships on your team, provide opportunities to cross-train your team members in various roles. Whether they will perform them or not, it helps them to understand the processes, stresses, challenges, and opportunities that others on the team face each day. In addition, convene regular team meetings that are short, high energy, and interactive that will help team members to keep abreast of what is going on in all areas of the practice. Try a team meeting with all team members standing instead of sitting. They tend to be more energetic and they move faster and finish earlier. Keep meetings brief and meaningful.
In addition, all of the parts of your software must work together as well. When you select software, try to ensure that your selection will provide as much flexibility to adopt additional tools and programs to enhance your services as you need to add them. Make sure that your selected software will work well with programs from other companies, such as lab software, inventory management programs, labor management packages, and others. If your software isn't 'friendly', your information will not be accessible and useful to you.
Remember, all of the parts of your practice must work together to deliver the optimal care you want to provide!
