It's bin good

"To increase efficiency at our front desk, we maintain a very organized file-placement system, with bins for every possible function," says Sabrina Lewis, veterinary nurse at Central Broward Animal Hospital in Plantation, Fla. For example, each doctor has his own bin for daily appointments. Team members pull all the files the night before and put them in the corresponding doctor's bin in order from first to last appointment. The team uses a separate bin for drop-offs, which include pets that are visiting for surgery, grooming, boarding, or treatments. "We also pull these files the night before. We prepare cage cards, boarding forms, and surgery release forms—and we check the file to see what routine care the pet is due for," Lewis says.

Files for pets that will be released go in the "go-home" bin. Team members enter the fee sheets for these files into the computer and prepare any necessary medications. Then the receptionist separates the files into "hold" and "straight out" bins. "When a file's in the 'hold' bin, it indicates that the doctor wants to go over the treatment plan, medications, test results, and at-home care with the owner and answer any questions he or she may have," Lewis says. "We escort those clients to an exam room. Files in the 'straight out' bin are for pets that don't require a doctor discharge."

Once clients check out at Central Broward Animal Hospital, the files go in another bin. If lab work has been sent out or if in-house tests aren't finished at the time of discharge, files go in the "lab pending" bin. Files that need the doctor's further attention for lab results or follow-up calls go in the bin in his or her office. When the doctors finish with the files, there's a "finished" bin for the receptionists to put away.

To maintain accuracy, Genie Thiele, office manager at Central Broward Animal Hospital, monitors all files and ensures all information is updated in the computer system. "We have a very busy four-doctor practice, with only two or three receptionists working at a time. Our file-placement system ensures that we always know where to find each and every file," Lewis says.