Keeping care affordable with technician appointments (Proceedings)

Today veterinary practices are facing more challenges then they ever have in the past. The economy has forced pet owners to scrutinize every dollar of their discretionary income and often times the money that was previously spent on the family pet is now being spent on food and rent for the family. One way to keep income coming in to your practice, increase job satisfaction and help clients dealing with economic struggles is to offer technician appointments.

How to implement a technician appointment program.

     1. Look at the technical staff that you have and decide who would be a good fit.

          a. Communication style?

          b. Client education knowledge?

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     2. Look at the practice schedule

          a. How many appointments will you offer?

          b. How many days per week?

          c. Will there be a dedicated room and schedule column for technician appointments?

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     3. Services

          a. What services will the technician do?

               i. Legally?

               ii. Trusted?

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     4. Fees

          a. What will you charge?

               i. Less for technician appointment

               ii. Exam fee vs. technician appointment?

               iii. Will there be increase in pay for technician? Bonus system? Other rewards?

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     5. Narratives and protocols

          a. What do you want your clients to hear?

          b. Consistency

          c. Train to trust

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     6. Road blocks

          a. Doctors not trusting – train to trust!

          b. Scheduling

          c. Concerns from clients

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     7. Positives!

          a. Increased income

          b. Increased client satisfaction

          c. Increased job satisfaction

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     1. Marketing – internal and external

          a. How will you tell clients?

          b. How will you get all team members on the same page?

               i. Client service – scheduling

               ii. Doctors –

               iii. Other technicians

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     8. Follow up

          a. How will you measure success?

               i. Dollars?

               ii. Client satisfaction?

               iii. Job satisfaction?

               iv. Surveys?

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Start your plan:

Technicians who you feel are the best fit for offering technician appointments

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Doctor to oversee program and ensure train to trust level

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Services to be offered

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Fees

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Your practices potential roadblocks

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How will you overcome those roadblocks?

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