Make your meeting matter

To be effective educators on parasite control, your team members need to know the details of the disease caused by parasites, be familiar with the testing done concerning these diseases, and know the particulars of the preventive products you offer.

At your next team meeting, make sure to talk about the role each member of your team plays in keeping pets free of all types of parasites. Because as time will tell, the best results come when the whole team delivers a consistent message with confidence.

Receptionists

When the client calls, your on-hold message can promote parasite control. As clients schedule appointments, remind them to bring a fecal sample. Explain you’ll use the sample to test for parasites. If the pet is on a prevention program, the sample is to make sure the program is effective.When clients arrive for appointments, tell them the doctor may want to talk to them today about parasite control. Offer parasite control literature to prepare them for the conversations they’ll have with the technician and doctor in the exam room. At checkout, ask clients if they have the parasite prevention products the doctor recommended and reinforce the importance of parasite control.

Technicians and assistants

During your initial history, ask whether the client is concerned about parasites. Mention parasite control using your practice’s standards of care as your guide to prepare them for the doctor’s recommendations.

Practice managers

While you may not have direct contact with clients, you have direct contact with each team member. Set a goal for the team to work toward. Start by determining your current success rate. Estimate the number of cats and dogs that visited your practice in the last year. Then look at how many fecal tests you ran. Let’s say that number is 200. A realistic improvement might be to complete 400 fecal exams. The average practice is open about 240 days a year, so you’ll need to perform about two fecal exams a day.VeterinariansYou’ll reinforce the message the technician introduced, following your practice’s standards of care. Then introduce your personalized parasite prevention plan for the pet and the family. Ideally, the doctors in the practice would meet to develop the standards of care. You may also invite technicians to help create these protocols.

Veterinarians

You’ll reinforce the message the technician introduced, following your practice’s standards of care. Then introduce your personalized parasite prevention plan for the pet and the family. Ideally, the doctors in the practice would meet to develop the standards of care. You may also invite technicians to help create these protocols.