Practice for Profit: Unions: A timely wake-up call

It is long past time to modify our practices to fit the times and increase the quality of relations between veterinarians and their indispensable support staff. Why are we so quick to remodel our hospitals, run to buy ultrasound or digital X-ray equipment yet so slow to invest in our staff?

I know many solo practitioners who generate $1.5 million because their staffs are well respected, well trained, well paid and make high-density scheduling possible. Anyone who attempts to carve a fine violin with a dull hatchet is an absolute fool.

Last month, DVM Newsmagazine reported a Philadelphia lawsuit involving a veterinary clinic, local union and the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board over a bargaining agreement.

The hospital employees tried to negotiate with their hospital administrator before approaching the union. From the staff's perspective, "No one was listening." They felt like they had to go that far to improve the working conditions.

It all boils down to respect and the Golden Rule. Surprise! Surprise!

The Golden Rule is often misquoted. In the original Aramaic it reads: "Do not unto others what you would not have done unto you."

The difference is that, under the common interpretation, if you enjoy being beaten up, feel free to beat up your staff!

That appears perfectly logical, as our profession for years has been underpaid, beaten up by shoppers and under-respected, and it has endured never-shoulda-been-hired staff and competition from our closest hospitals!

It takes an exceedingly well beat up staff to go to the National Labor Board. I would imagine the legal fees alone would amount to some 10-20 percent of the next year's gross revenues. Add in the total disruption, and the sale value of the practice involved has probably plummeted to about the replacement value of the real estate and equipment.

The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (November 2004) report showed the average veterinary technician (licensed) earned $12.49 per hour; that compares poorly to dental assistants at $13.97/hour and physical therapy assistants at $18.10 per hour. The average veterinary assistant (2004) earned $9.44 per hour. Forty percent of all veterinary staff received no healthcare benefits.

Why should this surprise us when the average veterinarian earned $36.07 per hour compared to pharmacists at $40.56 or dentists at $63.87 per hour. We did, however, finally surpass dental hygienists at $28.58 per hour.

Let me sell you an insurance policy that will protect you from all of this. The not-so-fine print of this policy might read:

This practice shall provide the following, or the policy is null and void:

• A locked suggestion box or two in the hospital.

• A weekly review of all suggestions with an immediate response thanking the employee for his or her input and assurance that the suggestion will be considered at the next weekly meeting between the owner(s) and practice manager.

• A written reply to the employee within 48 hours of that meeting notifying him/her of a reason for any change or lack of change in the established hospital policy and thanking him/her for the input.

• An annual cost-of-living increase should be paid quarterly. Thus a 4-percent increase could mean a 1-percent increase every three months. Not much really, but a 10-cent-per-hour increase for an assistant is a sign of momentum in the right direction.

• Employ a quarterly performance review so staff members doing excellent work know that management appreciates them, and the poor performers know which areas need improvement or when to expect termination if improvement is not forthcoming. For staff performance evaluation forms, visit www.veterinaryproductivity.com Performers scoring less than 70 percent are put on 30-days probation, do not receive a cost-of-living increase and are terminated if improvement is not forthcoming.

• A mandatory staff education plan must be implemented using educational media available from AVMA, AAHA, Animal Care Training (800) 357-3182 or VMS (800) 895-2269. One hour per week of mandatory paid education goes a long way to increase staff satisfaction.

• Install Pet Care TV (888) 701-1202 for programs that are as much for staff training as for client education with new programs issued regularly to keep everyone up on new recommendations.

• The practice shall provide healthcare benefits paying at least 50 percent of the staff members' portion. Dependent care shall be the burden of the staff member, not the practice. Experience shows that reduced costs in staff turnover and training adequately compensates practices for this expense.

• The practice shall provide no employee discount higher than 30 percent on inventory items, relying instead on pet health insurance covering well-care and illness services, paid by the practice at 100 percent for no more than two pets, 80 percent for third and fourth pets and 50 percent for up to two additional pets.

This is a start. Everything has a beginning, but there is no end to the problems of staff that does not feel they have the respect of management.

Dr. Snyder, a well-known consultant, publishes Veterinary Productivity, a newsletter for practice productivity and is available for in-practice consultation. He can be reached at 2895 SW Bear Paw Trail, Palm City, FL 34990; (800) 292-7995; vetprod@bellsouth.net Fax (772) 220-4355.