The New Jersey Veterinary Hospital M anagers Association Newsletter

Mission Statement: “Bringing together leaders for support and continuing education in a
progressive environment to develop the best practices in the nation”
Why Your Membership Matters
Those of you who have taken a second to stop running, blow the hair out of your eyes, and sit down to read
this, know how fast paced the veterinary business can be.
Your days at the practice unfold as though they’re attached to the end of a cracking whip. It’s not
uncommon for a week to go by before a mound of to-dos gets looked at and your practice’s progress is too
often measured in inches, not feet.
In the past, the industry’s reliable growth, net revenue, and our owner’s tireless efforts have excused our
catch-as-catch-can success at management. But the economy’s continued sluggishness and changes in
shopping habits brought on by the Internet demand that we take a second to collect ourselves and formulate
a serious plan on managing smarter and better.
Every time you and the rest of your team miss an opportunity to position your practice as a leader, you give
a little more client/patient care over to a new wave of veterinary service providers whose commitment to
care will always be qualified by shareholders.
Opportunities to improve your management skills are abundant and free and begin with the New Jersey
Veterinary Hospital Managers Association. Your membership with us helps all of us to grow. By working
together, we do not dilute our own practice’s success or diminish its competitive edge. On the contrary, both
are improved. Our NJVHMA quarterly learning sessions are specifically designed to be detailed, topical,
entertaining and to encourage professional camaraderie.
Please take a moment and mark September 27th on your calendar and plan on attending a day of excellent
continuing education with Michelle Guercio-Winter at North Star VETS. Additionally, check out our
website for more details on how we can help you grow as an individual and as a veterinary professional
(www.njvhma.com).
Client Service: It’s More Than Practicing Good Veterinary Medicine
By: Carol Olea, Client Service Manager, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital
In this day and age it is not enough to just practice good veterinary medicine; you must also provide
your clients with excellent customer service to help move your practice forward. Don’t fall into the
trap of doing only what is required, look for that something extra to provide clients with a
memorable experience. This could include engaging them in casual conversation about their pet or
giving them something tangible such as coffee or brochures. When you give someone more than
he/she expects, you are creating a lasting impression that could result in a lifelong relationship!
Clients will know that you value them when you respect their time and their needs. Here are some
ways to show them that they matter to you:
• Keep them informed when there are unavoidable delays whether it be related to an
appointment time or lab work results.
• Give them the option to reschedule if wait times are proving to be longer than expected.
• Ask if they’d prefer a call back rather than leaving them on hold for long periods of time.
Sometimes, it’s more polite to take a phone number and get back to them. That way, they
aren’t burdened and you aren’t rushed.
• Have a smile on your face! Smiling even comes across when you are communicating by
phone.
• Put yourself in their position and think about how you want to be treated when you are the
client.
• Be available. Are your office hours convenient? Is there a long wait to get in for an
appointment?
• Love your job and know that you are an important part of a team. Everything you do has the
ability to make a difference and ultimately help a pet. A happy employee delivers better
customer service, which results in a more knowledgeable, satisfied client. In the end, the pet
benefits and that’s why we’re all here – because we love animals and care about their wellbeing!
Remember that your job exists for one primary reason – to serve the client. Clients are the reason
that we have an opportunity to be employed in the veterinary profession. As a client service
representative, you are a reflection of what your veterinary hospital has to offer. You may be the
first impression that makes or breaks the relationship. If you take the time to show clients respect
and to make them feel valued, you not only make them a satisfied customer who will keep coming
back, but you make them a source of referrals. A hospital’s most vital asset is a satisfied client.
Without them, your business will not succeed.
Today, there are a lot of veterinary hospitals to choose from. Your clients picked you. Whether that
client was referred by another client or selected you based on location and convenience, that pet
owner started the relationship and he/she can end it at any time. Do not take new clients or longterm clients for granted. When you choose to honor your clients with respect, you are making a
statement that they will remember for the life of their pets and beyond.
Senior Wellness Marketing Plan
By Lisa Davis, Marketing Director, Oradell Animal Hospital, Paramus NJ
Situation Analysis:
The following is the actual marketing plan at Oradell:
As a high functioning hospital our goal is to maintain our position as an industry leader by providing superior senior wellness care
to our patients. We are always looking for ways to upgrade what we are doing and enhance our effectiveness.
It is important to continually focus on preventive care and compliance and the ‘value-added” client experience. Preventive care
saves patient suffering and it also saves clients money.
This document is to provide a framework for continued improvement.
A recent AAHA compliance study reported that that 90% of clients selected the following statement when asked about options and
costs: “I want my veterinarian to tell me about all the recommended treatment options for my pet, even if I may not be able to
afford them.” AAHA Marketlink article Meds, Prevention and Economics.
Clients do want to hear about their options. And, it seems, many are willing to pay a premium if those treatment options are easier
to manage day to day. They are not happy when the veterinarian holds back information.
Regarding senior care, it is important to take a fresh look at our compliance and improve our efforts in encouraging clients to bring
their pets above age 7 in for check-ups twice a year. A common flaw in client education stems from focusing too much on what a
particular test or treatment involves and not enough on why it is of benefit to the pet and to the client. “The purposes of clinical
screening of healthy pets are to establish baseline assessment for future comparison and to detect sub clinical abnormalities at a
time when preventive and therapeutic intervention may have the most benefit.” AAHA Marketlink, Meds, Prevention and
Economics. It is important that we educate and communicate this to our clients explaining to them not just what their pets needs
are but why it’s so important. It may be helpful to relay to a client that while increased monitoring and diagnostics for their older
pet is to detect any problem early, we are looking to confirm that their pet is healthy and that we want to keep them that way. This
is a fundamental concept in maintaining the highest standard of care.
Rooted in making sure patients get the care they need, follow-up activities demonstrate to clients that our concern for them and
their pets goes far beyond the time spent together in the exam room. Ultimately, follow-up efforts embody the broader
relationships we have with our clients. “Pet owners who receive a follow-up call achieved higher compliance than those who did
not receive a follow-up call.” 2009 AAHA compliance follow-up study. Compliance is about so much more than filling
appointments or making sure medicines get refilled on time. These efforts remain the actions that tell our clients: This is who we
are; this is what we believe; this is how we can help.
Trends:
Senior/Hospice
45 million pets in the U.S. would be classified as senior.
Aging pets make up more than a quarter of the nation’s pet population. According to the AVMA, “at least 20% of the nation’s
dogs and more than 25% of cats are at least 8 years old.”
Veterinarians who provide home hospice care as an ancillary service have reported that the percentage of established clients who
request this option has increased from 10% to 30% since 1996.
Those specializing in hospice/geriatric care reported that the percentage of established clients requesting this option has increased.
Only about 20% of veterinarians refer their terminally ill patients to hospice, according to Tami Shearer, DVM, who operates the
Pet Hospice and Education Center in Columbus, OH (Veterinary Practice News, July 2008).
Compliance:
72% of pet owners said they would like to receive written information so they can refer back to it
Pet owners who reported seeing the same veterinarian at each visit have higher compliance rates.
Only 30% of practices send reminders for refilling chronic medications.
Pet owners shown 1 or more ways to administer medication had significantly higher compliance. Only 8% of practices both show
how to administer and have the owner show how to administer medications.
Pet owners are willing to pay a significant premium for ease of administration regarding the use of pet medications.
The number of people practicing companion animal medicine increased faster than the number of companion pets from 1990s to
the late 2000s per AAHA’s January 20, 2011 trend report.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
• Access to specialists
• Diagnostics on premises/In-house laboratory
• Reputation
• Emergency Critical Care 24/7
• Highly experienced staff
• AAHA Certified
• Access to CE
• Cares Program
• Nutrition Counseling
• Physical Rehabilitation/Acupuncture
• Size of building and location
• Strong website presence – email, online calendar, blog, Facebook
Weaknesses:
• Lack of consistency/message from provider to provider
• No current reminder system for services other than appointments (ie: fecals, blood work, chronic medications).
• Appointment reminder system not always up to par
• Price perception – our clients need to be told what they are getting; told why their pet needs certain procedures, tests, etc.;
need to be aware of expenses in exam room – all to build value.
Opportunities:
• Offer senior wellness packaged services to encourage semi-annual visits
• Create protocols for medical syndromes
• Develop client pet owner seminars to educate the client on areas such as osteoarthritis, dental, nutrition, overall senior
care, behavior
• Educate staff
Threats:
• Internet pharmacies/Over the counter products
• Prevalence of online education – misinformation of online sources (clients feel they don’t need the veterinarian for
information and treatment
• The economy – decreases in average transaction charges and frequency of visits
• Competition – nearby hospitals with board certified specialists; spay-neuter clinics, pet store based clinics; lower cost
options for routine care
• Cat owners tread bringing their pets in for routine care
• Lack of client understanding for the need of annual exams
• Perception that pets who live indoors require less care
• Sticker shock – the cost of visiting a veterinarian is much higher than what the average client expects.
Goal:
To increase the number of existing client senior health visits by 10% and to encourage clients to come in for semi-annual
checkups.
Overall Strategy:
To target pet owners who have dogs and cat greater than 7 years old. (depending on breed). To educate client pet owners on the
aging process and the importance of health check-ups two times a year. To educate the staff on senior wellness and the impact it
has on aging pets regarding such processes as osteoarthritis, obesity, dental disease.
Strategy 1:
Educate our clients to create a better understanding about the care their senior pet needs. Encourage semi-annual check-ups
and the other services our hospital offers for the senior pet - dental cleanings, nutrition consultation, medication re-fills,
physical rehabilitation.
Tactics:
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Continue use of canine/feline report cards
Hand out a senior wellness package to clients who are coming in for exam.
Create packaged services to encourage semi-annual visits and to help with sticker shock
Discuss benefits and fees of senior wellness program in exam room and explain benefits of senior screenings for
every pet greater than 7 years.
Rotate ongoing messages on the website homepage regarding senior wellness care
Hang age analogy posters in exam rooms.
Implement client pet owner seminars
Put ads in newspaper advertising seminars. Create a series of questions and answers on senior wellness for Bergen
Record column
Participate in senior wellness month
Implement a direct mail campaign to clients whose dogs are greater than seven years old
Implement a direct mail campaign to clients whose cats are greater than seven years old
Strategy 2
Educate staff on how to diagnose and treat senior wellness patients.
Tactics:
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Have phone room book appointments that are at least 30 minutes for first senior visit
Enter 6 month exam reminders in the computer
Create twice a year exam reminders to be mailed to clients
Encourage cashiers to book 6 month appointments and follow up diagnostic appointments. Create ‘tent cards’ as a
reminder for each station.
Have our generalists hold roundtables on topics such as osteoarthritis, overall senior wellness
Have staff doctors hold roundtable for pod assistants on senior wellness screenings and exams so they feel comfortable
talking to clients about the exam
Pfizer sponsored lecture - Dr. Dennis Caywood, speaking on osteoarthritis, June 15, 2011
Create reminder sheets to be posted inside pod room doors highlighting areas of client senior wellness visit.
“Don’t forget to”
- get fecal sample
- Refill prescription
- Fill and hand out report card
- Book semi-annual visit
!
Strategy 3
Implement a process for recognizing a senior pet
Tactics:
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Mark client charts with colored stickers or stamp. This visual clue will alert staff that this patient may have special
needs.
Create codes for travel sheet – a. senior exam b. semi-annual exam
Give each client a small ‘token’ gift for their senior pet
Offer clients visitation of our physical therapy and rehabilitation areas
Hand every client a senior wellness package
Strategy 4
Utilize drug coupon programs specifically designed for senior pets.
Tactics:
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Implement Pfizer Rimadyl coupon program. This will increase revenue and show good will.
Strategy 5
Develop a call back program/reminder card program
Tactics:
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Create a system to remind clients to come in for dentals, drug refills such as osteoarthritis medications, fecals, semiannual visits. Develop codes for each doctor and provide calling lists.
Strategy 6
Create diagnostic codes for measurement to help monitor and improve compliance
Tactics:
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Set up codes for semi-annual visits to begin tracking
Strategy 7
Develop and bundle pricing plans and services for clients to incentivize semi-annual visits.
Tactics:
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Create two separate pricing plans, one with a lower price tag option so as not to eliminate those clients who feel they
can’t afford the ‘gold package’.
Create a coupon program to encourage semi-annual visit
Measurement:
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Measure the total number of senior wellness visits by quarter 2010 vs. 2011
Measure blood work performed quarterly 2010 vs. 2011 or select a diagnostic to be measured to track efficacy of plan
Monitor increase in twice yearly senior wellness exams
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www.linkedin.com
www.njvhma.com
www.facebook.com/njvhma
Twitter @NJVHMA
We need volunteers to man our booth
and table during exhibit hours at
ACVC. Anyone interested, please
contact Stephen Tracey at
[email protected]
&
Contact Information
Lee Coudrai (leave of absence)
Administrator, Winslow Animal Hospital
[email protected]
(856)875-1323
Lisa Davis
Marketing & Public Relations, Oradell Animal Hosp
[email protected]
(201)262-0010
Bash Halow
President, Halow Consulting
[email protected]
(917)825-1630
Jim Harper
Administrator, Hamilton Veterinary Hospital
[email protected]
(609)888-3400
Dan McCann
Practice Manager, Marne Veterinary Clinic
[email protected]
(609)267-1609
Carol Olea
Client Relations Manager, Red Bank Veterinary
Hospital
[email protected]
(732)747-3636
Robin Stankowski
Practice Manager, Somerset Veterinary Group
[email protected]
(908)725-1800
Stephen Tracey
General Manager, Kingston Animal Hospital
[email protected]
(609) 924-7415
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Interested in becoming a member?
Practice managers and owners of all experience levels are encouraged to join. The only requirement for joining is signing a
confidentiality agreement. This will then give you access to Linked In. This is where we discuss issues and share educational
information. Contact Robin Stankowski at [email protected] or 908 725-1800 for more information.
New Jersey Veterinary Hospital Managers Association
Confidentiality Agreement
The NJVHMA fosters an environment that provides friendship, support and the tools necessary to build the best veterinary practices in the
country. It is important that all members feel comfortable in open, active discussions on all topics relevant to reaching our goals. It is essential
that the organizations we represent are confident that our collective efforts have no deleterious effects, but only work to grow and improve our
practices in every way.
All participants must sign this confidentially agreement in support of reaching these goals. The confidentially agreement restricts all parties from
disclosing any information deemed private by the individuals within the organization. It is implied that all information discussed is deemed
private unless otherwise communicated by the presenting party and agreed upon by the group. Discussions of individual experiences are to
remain strictly confidential as to protect the individual privacy of the parties involved and those of any organization or ownership represented.
NJVHMA uses the following means to communicate (but not limited to LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogs and emails). Any member using these online
forums must proceed with professional decorum. We ask that you use good judgment and observe the following guidelines: Be respectful.
Constructive criticism is acceptable; however, these online forums should not become a vehicle for personal attacks on a company, its services,
its executives, co-workers, competitors, customers, or others. You may not post any material that is obscene, defamatory, profane, libelous,
threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, or embarrassing to another person or entity connected to the NJVHMA or any other business it deals
with.
The NJVHMA reserves and may exercise the right to monitor, access, retrieve and delete any matter stored in, created, received, or sent, for any
reason and without the permission of any member. The NJVHMA intends to enforce this policy but reserves the right to change it at any time,
as circumstances require. Violation of this policy may result in removal from NJVHMA membership.
CODE OF ETHICS: I pledge myself to: Comply with the principles and declarations of the NJVHMA'
s code of professional ethics. Maintain
and promote the profession of veterinary practice management. I will assure my continued growth and development as a professional by
utilizing, to the highest extent possible, the facilities offered to me for continuing the professional education and refinement of my management
skills. Seek and maintain an equitable, honorable and co-operative association with fellow members of the NJVHMA and with all others who
may become a part of my business and professional life. Play a fundamental role in maintaining excellence and quality of care to our clients and
their animals. Place honesty, integrity and industriousness above all else, and gainfully pursue my profession with diligent study and dedication
so that service to my employer shall always be maintained at the highest possible level. Keep all information concerning the business or
personal affairs of my employer confidential, except as may otherwise be required or compelled by applicable law or regulation. Protect the
employer'
s funds and property under my control. Information gathered, maintained or produced within the veterinary practice is the property of
the practice owner and will not be reproduced, shared or distributed outside the practice without consent of the owner.
It is expected that all participants who participate in this organization/group will abide by this agreement in all instances. Failure to comply with
the guidelines of this agreement will result in dismissal from the group without opportunity to rejoin. If individuals do not wish to sign this
agreement, then it is understood that neither the individual, nor their organization can be represented in this group.
Name (printed)
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Name (signed)
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Hospital
_____________________________________________
Email
_____________________________________________
Date
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