Calling all practice managers, advice please!

Re: Calling all practice managers, advice please!

Braden Collins — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 09:55:17 GMT

We have a vet who sounds a bit like that lady vet. Lives for the job and is very dedicated and will pour everything into every case. Her clients want to see her and her alone, which makes them a bit difficult at times. We found she would work herself into the ground, then every 3 months nearly have a breakdown and need a weeks holiday. We have 20 minute appointments here, so there's only 3 patients/hour but it is still unsustainable for her. We found to help keep her sane we keep 2 x 1 hour slots which can only be booked on the day and only once the other vets are fully booked (so she has a chance of a bit of catch-up time), and will never overbook her, no matter how much the clients beg/shout/threaten.

60-70/day sounds like a recipe for a shortened career for mental health reasons. I think the managers need to step in and bring it under control. Even if she is happy seeing that many patients, can she keep adequate records and gain informed consent in 5 minutes?

Re: Calling all practice managers, advice please!

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 09:15:32 GMT

If the busy lady is on holiday, the clients can't see her - so insist the other 2 pull their weight. You'll still be seeing > 30 clients each/day, which is quite a heavy case load. If 1 of the other 2 is on holiday, take a good book, or some knitting!

Wynne

Re: Calling all practice managers, advice please!

katja wagner — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:55:51 GMT

don't have any help to offer but this sounds crazy. I would not want to see 70-80 clients per day but equally would get bored stiff with 12 clients only. I have locumed in one practice without appointments and the charges were very low so people did not complaints waiting for ages but I had the feeling like working on a never ending conveyor belt and found it impossible to built up a proper client -vet relationship,would not want to work like this again.

does the charming lady vet get a bonus per client?

katja

Re: Calling all practice managers, advice please!

An On MRCVS — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:48:51 GMT

Thank you for your replies!

To clarify, the busy lady vet wants to see that many clients and most clients want to see her too. Yes it is a very busy list, they are booked into 5 minute slots and yes always run over. Maybe some days she sees 50 clients, sometimes 60, but yes there are days when she sees more than that. I have never seen anything like it myself.

But yes, I will take on board your advice, I will trial this position for a period and see how it all turns out.

Re: Calling all practice managers, advice please!

Joyce Whitehead — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:38:28 GMT

I'm not sure if I can help at all, but can I just clarify something? This lady vet that sees 70-80 clients a day, is that because the clients will only see her, or because she insists on seeing that many clients? I read it as the latter, which seems really really odd. Number one, how many hours does she work to fit in that many appointments? And why does she have so much say in who does what, unless she is a partner? And thirdly hey would she want to be rushing that many clients through in a day? If I have a long consulting day I know I am getting distracted and finding it hard to concentrate by the last few. And I certainly don't see 70 in a day! I think I'd agree with Ashley and try to negotiate a month trial just to see how you all get on, and it gives you a get out. Would you just be consulting, or operating too, as that at least gets you out of the mayhem. I know our clients wouldn't tolerate sitting around waiting that long, especially if there are other vets not doing anything.

Re: Calling all practice managers, advice please!

Robin Grimmer — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:35:36 GMT

Does the nice charming lady vet have a bit of a following so her clients will only see her and not the other vets? That's what it sounds like. I've locumed innplaces like that. Can be a two edged sword, bonus is that could be quite cushy if you're not too busy, but you could have to deal with arsey clients who only want to see her and no one else.

Re: Calling all practice managers, advice please!

Ashley Rubens — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:00:41 GMT

A little while ago I locummed at a practice that ran open surgeries all day - 3 vets orating through 2 consulting rooms and 1 vets out the back operating. Every morning there was a queue out the building by the start of surgery at 9, and as a Locum I'd negotiated an 'early' finish at 6 but the waiting room would still be full when I left. I can do 7.5 min consults if I have to (not showing off, I think that service does suffer a little when you rush), but obviously some cases take longer, and as far as I could tell the other vets were all working at the same rate, but all the same some clients would have waited a couple of hours to be seen. However in the month I was there not one client complained or made a fuss about waiting, they seemed more than happy to accept that a wait might well be necessary in return for the convenience of open surgery and actually because the practise were quite hot on ensuring you didn't work beyond your appointed hours with vets switching over etc I never really felt over worked. Basically, although it sounds very bizarre, it might not actually be that bad, work division sounds a bit unfair but do any of the other vets mind? Why do a few weeks as a trial? If it doesn't work then you can go your separate ways hopefully without falling out if you explain it just doesn't suit you?