Team Building

Open communication is the key to successful team building.  We are all working toward the same goal...helping pets.  Our team has gotten around the "us vs. them" attitude by openly communicating with each other on a daily basis.  As with every veterinary practice, we have the front/back and the day/night employees.  We have structured our practice so each person knows who is responsible for which duties. 

On an average day, we have two doctors seeing appointments, one or two receptionists, a surgery tech, a lab tech and two appointment techs.  The surgery tech is ultimately responsible for all surgical/hospitalized patients (some duties are delagated).  From checking them in, to making sure all procedures are completed to checking them out and going over instructions with the owner.  The lab tech is responsible for all lab procedures, prescription refills and fielding any questions that may arise.  The job of the appointment tech is to assist their respective doctor with appointments, callbacks, charting, etc.  The appointment schedule and who is doing what position is decided at the beginning of each shift AM and PM.  If only one receptonist is on duty, everyone is aware and will pick up the slack by answering the phone, checking out a client, covering for a lunch break, etc. The appointment techs keep the receptionists in the loop by walking the client to the front desk and letting the receptionists know if "Fluffy" needs to be rechecked in 2 weeks or we are keeping "Rover" for radiographs. At the beginning of each shift AM/PM the staff discusses who is hospitalized and for what procedure/illness so each staff member knows what is going on in case they answer the call from the worried owner.

At the end of the day, when the receptionists are finished with ther duties they will come to the back to see what they can do to help the techs finish up and vise versa.  This allows all staff members to leave at the same time.

This systems work really well for us and prevents the "us vs.them" mentality.