The Leading Edge – AVAPM Newsletter

AUSTRALIAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
August 2013
[email protected]
The Leading Edge – AVAPM Newsletter
“Our mission is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets.”
Presidents Report – Garry Edgar
There is so much going on at the moment, I almost don’t know where to start.
I know that the main reason I am doing this report is because the excellent Laura
Connolly from our office has been on my back to get this one done! If a survey company
rang me right now and said that “rated between 1 and 10, with 10 being strongly agree,
and 1 being strongly disagree, I think I would rate the question “I want to write a
Presidents report” at about a 3 or 4! And, that is also where a lot of us find ourselves
when it comes to managing our veterinary practice. I know that I kind of fell into a role
with AVAPM, when I actually thought, “I am a Small Animal Vet!” And I also know that I
would much rather be in surgery performing a complicated orthopaedic surgery, than in
my office doing a performance review.
And, that is the new challenge that everyone will be dealing with more and more. As
Vets, we are most productive when we are being Vets. And we are not very productive
when we are the receptionist, kennel hand or office manager. I attended the AVAPM
workshops in Adelaide a few weeks ago, and discussed this same topic with a lot of other vets who attended. We are all in
agreeance, we just need to learn how to up-skill or empower our existing staff, or employ a new key person, or find the secret
to managing a practice manager. There is no doubt that getting the best return out of an office or practice manager is a key
piece of the practice of the future jigsaw!
So, the good news is that the AVAPM committee and the Board of the AVA are working on ways to best serve its members in
these areas. A lot of mine and the committees time is being spent brainstorming on this idea. The Office are spending a lot of
time trying to make sense of all our ideas and put something to the AVA Board, which will see the people in our practices who
manage the day to day of the practice, being able to access really good training or continuing education, or other management
resources. It is an area that will hopefully develop quickly over the next few months. We will keep you posted!
Finally, can I direct you to our new tab on the AVA web-page. Shortly, this will refer you to our new page and offerings. Have a
look at the new definition we have designed to outline a modern and conclusive job description of a Practice Manager.
Good luck, and let me get back in surgery; I have a dog that needs to be removed from a lump!
Executive Officer’s Report - Mark Fraser
After the success of our recent roadshow workshops in Adelaide Hills, we will be heading
south once again in October for the last of our AVAPM Exclusive Insights Tours for the
year.
Visiting 5 of Adelaide’s premier practices, you will get a fly on the wall insight into the
management and mechanics of these practices. Along with the hosted tour, a number of
debrief sessions, excellent lunches (The Lane winery, Sammys on the Marina-Glenelg),
fine evening dining and superb accommodation at MT. Lofty Resort in the Adelaide Hills,
it is also a fantastic networking opportunity.
We already have delegates from the UK registered so it will be interesting to gauge their
thoughts on Australian practices. Places are limited, so book now if you are thinking of
coming along. Non SA based delegates only.
We will be heading to the Gold Coast and Brisbane next year for an equine tour following Bain Fallon and a small animal tour
post ASAVA conference.
If flexible working arrangements interest you then don’t forget to register for our HR webinar next Friday 13 September. Details
below.
Our new Facebook page is climbing towards 100 likes. Let’s aim for 200 before next month. Simply login to your Facebook
account, search AVAPM, like us and you can start receiving all the latest AVAPM news, images, links and more.
https://www.facebook.com/Avapm
And finally, the next of our Better Your Bottom Line workshops will be held in Sydney November 14. Mark Hardwick will be your
host and brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to the table. If you are serious about financials (and aren’t we all!) and
want to boost your bottom line, then this is one workshop you can’t afford to miss.
Until next time…
AVAPM Surgery Fee Survey 2013 RESULTS
Please CLICK HERE for the AVAPM Surgery Fee Survey Results
Ensure you are logged onto your AVA account before attempting to view the results.
AVAPM Survey – MARKETING – Entries close 17 September 2013
The methods of marketing Veterinary Practice have undergone enormous change, even
in just the last 20 years. It has evolved from a once held belief that advertising was
vulgar and unprofessional.
Then Vets moved into small line adverts in phone directories which then evolved into
large coloured block ads.
Now, many of your colleagues are abandoning those “traditional” mediums and moving to
the digital age.
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Where do you and your colleagues sit on the topic of marketing?
What is right and what is not?
How much should you be spending?
How do you get the best outcomes?
Take the survey and find out!
We will attempt to start to answer some of those questions in a 5 minute survey. We will also attempt to document trends from
today and then look back on them in months and years to come. So, we ask you to make a 5 minute donation to yourself, your
profession and your future
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YTP9ZHX
Guild Insurance – We Know Vets - Advertisement
Crampton Consulting Group – Sue Crampton
When an employee leaves a practice, whether it is through resignation, termination or
retirement, we tend to slip into panic mode and automatically rush out and start recruiting
for their replacement. However, there are a few key steps to ensuring you get the right
person for the right role.
To ensure a smooth recruitment process take a step back and ask yourself the following
questions:
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Do I really need to create or fill this position?
What job needs to be done?
Who would be ideal for the job?
How can I attract the right applicants?
The answer to this question will be different for each practice and will depend on a
number of factors including:
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The key selection criteria for your role
The availability of the required skills and attributes in your current team
Your policy and systems for staff development and career mapping
Your practice culture
Remember to be cautious before you employ someone! It is far easier not to employ a person than to have to dismiss him or
her later!
Find out how CCG can help you with HR Coaching and Templates:
For more info contact CCG:
P: 07 3621 6005 | [email protected] | www.ProvetCCG.com.au | www.facebook.com/ProvetCCG
AVAPM HR Webinar – Flexible Working Arrangements
AVAPM HR Webinar: Flexible Working Arrangements
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Friday 13 September
1.00pm – 2.00pm AEST
The right to request Flexible working arrangements can assist employees to balance their
work/life commitments especially when it comes to caring responsibilities.
Amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 have now extended the right to request flexible
working arrangements to a broader range of workers with beyond just parents with caring
responsibilities of under school aged children or those under 18 years with a disability.
Amendments will now extend the right to request flexible working arrangements to
employees with disabilities, mature-age workers over 55 and other working carers.
This presentation will provide some practical guidance for employers on what are flexible
working arrangements and how to manage the process considering the new flexible working arrangement entitlements.
Please Click here for an information and registration form.
Annual Veterinary Workforce Survey – 2013
The purpose of the annual survey is to examine the current profile of the veterinary
profession and anticipate future trends and changes. The information will help the
profession, government, veterinary boards and others to understand how the provision of
veterinary services may be affected by various factors, including increasing numbers of
veterinary graduates, career breaks, part-time working, early retirement and veterinarians
choosing to work outside the profession.
The 2012 survey had a very varied response rate by state and territory. Some states and
territories achieved good response rates from 22-37%, in line with typical online surveys.
Unfortunately responses rates for Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western
Australia were very low and for these states the results are likely to be unrepresentative
of the veterinarian population in their state.
There is obvious benefit to the veterinary profession in the data being as representative
as possible.
There were some teething problems with the 2012 survey; we have made a few improvements based on the recommendations
by the statistician who analysed the 2012 results. Repeating a survey such as this annually is extremely valuable in addressing
population parameters.
2013 survey link: http://ava.informz.net/survistapro/s.asp?id=2134
The survey takes on average 6 minutes to complete.
AVA NSW Regional Conference – Look Hear Feel – 6-8 September, Opal Cove
Our next NSW regional conference is being held in sunny Coffs Harbour at Opal Cove
resort, September 7-8. With the theme of Look. Hear. Feel. (Eyes, ears, skin) and a great
line-up of local speakers it promises to be an excellent weekend of learning and social
networking.
The program encompasses small animals, equine and nursing streams. Speakers include
Cameron & Kelly Whittaker, Linda Vogelnest, Merrilyn Fitzgerald, Michael Kidd, Louisa
Poutsma, Oliver Liyou, Mimi Dona, Nick Kannegieter, Duan March and Julia Etel.
With the added bonus of free nurse registration (for each full paying delegate), discount
rates for New Graduates and students and a New Graduate dinner following Friday night
drinks, can you afford not to be there?
Welcome drinks kick off the Friday night, with the Saturday dinner incorporating the Hill’s
trivia night. A huge thank you to our Platinum sponsors Hill’s and Provet for their ongoing
support. Hope to see you there.
Click here to register.
AVAPM & Hills Practices of Excellence Award – Entries now OPEN!
The AVA Practice Management special interest group and Hill's Pet Nutrition are proud
to provide an award to recognise veterinary practices that deliver outstanding service to
their clients. Two practices (one small animal and one large animal, mixed, or equine)
will be awarded each year.
Eligibility
Nominations will be accepted from any practice in Australia where the principal
veterinarians of the practice are all AVA members. Finalists must be AVAPM members
to be considered for the award. Previous winners of this award are not eligible to
reapply for a period of three years, however previously unsuccessful applicants are
encouraged to apply again.
You can nominate your own practice or be nominated by industry representatives, other
veterinarians or your clients (members of the public).
The awards now offer a combined prize pool of more than $12,000 in continuing
professional development prizes, as well as the kudos that come from taking out
Australia's best-known and most prestigious veterinary business prize.
Please note that although all AVA practices may enter and receive feedback on
their practice - winners will either need to be current AVA Practice Management members, or become so in the final stages to
be eligible to become a winner.
FREE PRACTICE HEALTH CHECK - All entrants will now receive a free AVAPM practice health check to help them focus and
plan their businesses.
Successful practices will receive:
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Over $3000 AVAPM continuing professional development vouchers
Over $1500 Hills continuing professional development or product vouchers
Two registrations to the AVA Annual Conference
Two tickets to the Gala Dinner, held on the last night of the AVA Annual Conference
A profile of the practice in the Australian Veterinary Journal and the AVAPM Leading Edge newsletter.
Winners trophy
A chance to present and showcase your practice at the AVA national conference
Application package (applications close late October 2013)
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Hills AVAPM Practices of Excellence Awards Entry Form
Hills AVAPM Practices of Excellence Awards Brochure
AVAPM New Members – Welcome
Welcome to our new AVAPM members:
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Benjamin Fell
Mary Smith
Natasha Wilks
Bryant Nguyen
Joel Huang
Maris Eastgate
Adam Toyer
Glenn Geissler
Australian Veterinary Orchestra – Expression of Interest
AVA WA Division Conference 2013– 20-22 September 2013
What’s new pussycat?
20-22 September 2013
Esplanade Hotel Freemantle
Renowned Feline Speakers: Julia Beatty, Fiona Campbell and Sue Foster
Acclaimed Equine Speakers: Mandy Burrows, Ziggy Chester, Kirsty Gallacher, etc
Also don’t miss a wonderful social and young members program!
Click here for a conference brochure and registration form!
2013 Veterinary Industry Guide to Workplace Safety poster– FREE – Pro Visual
Staff Safety in the Veterinary Clinic
Veterinary Industry Guide to Workplace Safety - Released
Pro-Visual Publishing has just released its 2013 edition of the Veterinary Industry Guide
to Workplace Safety. Endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Association, this guide
provides veterinarians and vet nurses with current and referrable information on
workplace health and safety. Veterinarians are exposed to a number of occupational
hazards including ionising radiation, infectious agents, chemicals and physical injury. For
this reason this guide is distributed FREE to all veterinary workers throughout
Australia.
A prominent focus of this year’s guide is on women working in veterinary clinics and with
animals. Women are especially susceptible to veterinary hazards due to the increased
risks associated with pregnancy, relatively lower physical strength and increased work/life balance pressures. During
pregnancy, occupational hazards present a risk to both the woman and the foetus. In particular, birth defects and miscarriages
can result from the types of work within a veterinary practice such as radiological work, biological hazards and exposure to
chemotherapy drugs and anaesthetics etc.
The guide also presents information regarding staff vaccinations. A number of vaccines are available that will assist in
protecting veterinarians and veterinary staff against potential infection with zoonotic organisms. Training and awareness is key.
All staff, including temporary personnel, kennel staff, students and volunteers should receive training about identifying
workplace hazards, injury prevention and infection control during their initial orientation and periodically thereafter. This will
help to ensure that safety is a priority within the workplace.
“I would like to thank all of the sponsors of the Veterinary Industry Guide to Workplace Safety. Their support has made it
possible for the guide to be distributed free of charge”, said John Hutchings, CEO, Pro-Visual Publishing, “It is important to
ensure that all employees get home to their families the same way they left them”.
Recipients of the guide are also provided with the opportunity to enter a competition in where the best entry wins
$5,000(AU)! (See terms and conditions) Additional copies are available upon request.
For further information, or to obtain additional copies of the chart, please call (02) 8272 2611,
email [email protected] or visit www.provisual.com.au
Ways to protect your practice if you outsource payroll – DVM360
Internal controls provide a system of checks and balances.
1. Designate a supervisor or manager to check employee hours against scheduled
hours. Any paid time off is reconciled to policy and employee accruals.
2. Have another team member verify the manager’s paid work time and compensated
time off. This team member should also check the manager’s summary for any
mathematical errors.
3. Make sure data is submitted to the payroll company, usually by direct electronic feed
to its system, by e-mail to an assigned clerk, or by fax.
4. Once the payroll company has processed the payroll, it will send payroll reports back
to the practice or designated recipient elsewhere. Reports can go by e-mail transmission
to more than one person, such as an owner and a bookkeeper. Our firm strongly
recommends that the practice owner receive reports directly from the processor. This is
especially true if the processor is sending paper reports.
5. Have the bookkeeper promptly check the payroll company’s reports against the originally submitted hours. This process
catches any errors made by the payroll company clerk or the team member assigned to submit information to the payroll
company. The bookkeeper should also check that voluntary and required withholdings are correct for each employee and that
the correct hourly pay rates have been used.
6. Once the payroll reports have been reviewed for accuracy, they should be recorded to the practice’s bookkeeping
software. This may be an automated process or keyed in by the practice bookkeeper or a higher level manager, if he or she
has access to payroll information. In smaller practices (five to 15 employees), a higher-level manager or owner may complete
payroll recording, if the practice’s bookkeeper does not or should not have access to confidential payroll information.
7. Promptly, at month’s end, all bank accounts should be reconciled to ensure that transactions are correctly recorded. The
reconciliation reports and supporting bank statements should go to and be reviewed by a practice owner as soon as possible
after the month’s close.
Posts and Tweets about Annual Exams – Veterinary Economics
Use your social media network to stress the importance of yearly check-ups to veterinary clinics.
Tweets: Copy this type, log into Twitter, and paste the
type into the tweet field:
Facebook posts: Copy this type, log into Facebook, and
paste the type into the status field:
Myth #245: Indoor cats don’t need preventive care.
Schedule Roxy’s annual exam and we’ll set the record
straight. #pet #pethealth #petcare
If we haven’t seen your pets all year, then painful conditions
could be going undetected and untreated. Set up an
appointment today so we can be sure everything is A-OK.
Has your #pet been acting strange lately? Set up an
appointment and get answers to your questions.
#pethealth #petcare
Want to be the best pet owner possible? We’d love to help
you reach that goal. Treat your pet to a wellness examination!
When was the last time we saw your #pet? The more we
see your cat or dog, the sooner we can detect problems.
#petcare
When you don’t bring your pets in for regular exams, we can’t
spot conditions like heartworm disease or kidney failure. Set
up a time so we can examine your cat or dog.
Think you only need to visit for your #pets’ vaccinations?
Think again. Pets need regular exams so we can ID
#pethealth problems. #petcare
DYK? Your pet may not show outward signs of illness, but
hidden ailments have serious consequences if left untreated.
Schedule a visit for your pet’s physical.
Myth #102: Cats don’t need veterinary care. We need to
examine those felines at least once a year!
Better Your Bottom Line – 14 November 2013 – Sofitel Hotel, Sydney, NSW
Chart of Accounts has many benefits for today’s veterinary practice, and is an essential
tool for understanding a practice’s financial health. A well-organised Chart of Accounts
will assist your practice in analysing financial data, facilitating useful budget creation, and
making well-informed business decisions.
This one-day informative hands-on workshop will assist participants to:
Understand the key components of a Chart of Accounts and it’s benefits to your business.
Populate your Chart of Accounts using meaningful financial data from common VPMS
systems or supplier data.
Interpret financial data produced by using an efficient Chart of Accounts.
Use this information to create a meaningful budget forecast and plan for practice growth
or succession planning....
Spaces are limited, so get in early for your chance to take your practice to the next level financially!
Session 1 (9.00am-10.30am)
• Introduction and history
• Aims of the day
• Why a COA?
• Importance to overall business model/plan
• Driving income to achieve budget expectations
• What is a COA?
• Components of COA.
Session 2 (11.00am - 12.30pm)
• Populating the COA
• Extracting data from other systems
• What do they mean? Interpretation of data
• What to look for: KPI’s, highs and lows, etc.
• Categorising your data (what works & what doesn’t!)
Session 3 (1.30pm - 3.00pm)
• Planning the budget process
• Impacts on expected % return
• What to consider
• Planning for growth (marketing, equipment, staff and overheads, expansion, acquisition and or sale of business.
Session 4 (3.30pm - 5.00pm)
• Budget workshop and link back to COA.
• Review
• Questions
• Wrap up
Please Click Here for an information and registration form.
AVAPM website now live! www.avapm.com.au
The new AVAPM website is now up and running. The site has a member’s only section
with all the information you need on HR, legislation, business and strategic management,
marketing and more. Simply use your AVA login to sign in and you have instant access to
some great online resources.
Need to know what continuing professional development is coming up in 2013? Then the
AVAPM site has all the details.
Why not make use of some of the great resources that the AVAPM has available?
The AVAPM website is now live. Go to: www.avapm.com.au
Practice Management Courses – AVAPM Member discounts
UNE Partnerships offers training developed by practice managers for veterinary
professionals or key administrative staff. It’s designed to provide a progressive career
path from administrative to managerial roles within your practice. Our Certificate IV and
Diploma are pitched at differing levels of responsibility for an Office Manager, Practice
Manager or General Manager in a veterinary practice. A different level of qualification
might be relevant to several different staff members or as part of a longer term
development path for a single staff member.
The Certificate IV in Professional Practice Management develops the skills and knowledge to manage the daily operation of a
practice. A strong focus on staff management and supporting client/patient needs is complemented by an understanding of risk
management and compliance.
The Diploma of Professional Practice Management is designed to meet the needs of professional practice managers in
shaping the future direction of their practice. With an overall focus on developing strategic skills and actively managing staff to
maximise their performance, the course provides a sound base for a progressive practice in the 21st century.
The courses are run via distance study with students allocated an 18 month candidature for the Certificate IV and 2 years for
the Diploma. Students are assigned an assessor/s for each of the course modules who can provide them with support and
guidance at any stage during their study period.
Costs –
Certificate IV in professional Practice Management - $2900 (AVAPM members) OR $3300 (non-member)
Diploma of Professional Practice Management - $3700 (AVAPM member) OR $4100 (non-member)
To register please visit www.unep.edu.au/veterinary-practices/
Calling all Student Members..!!
If you are an AVAPM student member, we’d love to have you involved in our committee
meetings. Join in our teleconferences and face to face meetings and get a feel for what
goes on behind the scenes.
Who knows, you may be so enthused you’ll want to become a future committee member!
As the future of the profession, your input is valuable.
If you’re keen to get involved, send us an email and we will forward you the 2013
committee meeting calendar. [email protected]
We look forward to hearing from you.
Guild Insurance – Advertisement
Provet Learning/ Crampton Consulting – AVAPM Member Benefits
In the Pipeline- What’s happening in the background!
Take control of your financial data and identify new business opportunities.
Plan ahead and budget accordingly.
Our one day “Better your bottom line’ workshops can help you do just that.
Coming to Sydney in November.
Also, see our new AVAPM Practice Manager Job Description for use when recruiting or
setting tasks in your practice. Click Here.
2013 AVAPM Calendar
AVAPM Exclusive Insights Tour SA
18-19 October 2013
Adelaide, SA
Useful Contacts
AVA Members HR Advisory Service – 1300 788 977 [email protected]
AVA Member services – 1300 137 309 [email protected]
AVA Counseling Service – 1800 337 068
Accounting, Finance & Super helpline 1800 881 293
Guild Insurance – 1800 810 213
Benevolent Fund – 1300 137 309 - http://www.ava.com.au/about-us/trusts-and-foundations
Quote of the month
“The difference in winning and losing is most often, not quitting.”
Walt Disney
Unit 40, 6 Herbert Street
ST LEONARDS, NSW 2065
Web: www.AVAPM.com.au
Executive Officer: Mark Fraser
Email: [email protected]
Administration: Laura Connolly
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (02) 9431 5010
Facsimile: (02) 9437 9068
The Australian Veterinary Association
ABN 63 008 522 852
Australian Veterinary Association Practice Management (AVAPM) is a special interest group of
The Australian Veterinary Association Ltd.