Q&A: Get out of the office and back to the exam room
As a practice owner, I feel like I'm spending too much time on management tasks. How can I balance my dutes as a practice owner with my role as a veterinarian?
Q: As a practice owner, I feel like I'm spending too much time on management tasks. How can I balance my duties as a practice owner with my role as a veterinarian?
Learn how to delegate or hire a qualified manager to run your practice, says Dr. Jim Guenther, a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member and consultant with Strategic Veterinary Solutions in Asheville, N.C. If bookkeeping and inventory management are bogging you down, recruit an accountant or money-minded team member to handle these tasks. Many product distributors offer systems to help you manage your inventory. Human resources procedures are trickier, since there are legal, training, and documentation issues involved, so leave these duties to a professional or qualified team member.
Remember, you're a veterinarian first. Review and act on information relating to bookkeeping, inventory, and human resources, but allow someone else to acquire the data. Play to your strengths and find the correct person (or people) to strengthen your weaknesses.
