Appointment times

Re: Appointment times

Alan Tevendale — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:29:37 GMT

We have a dedicated nurse at the back of our consult rooms/dispensary. Really does make a huge difference when drawing up injections, putting meds together etc.

Maybe I'm spoilt now but I don't think I'd really want to do 10 min consults without them now.

Re: Appointment times

Gareth Dowdeswell — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:33:55 GMT

10min here, working as an employee in a JVP practice (really don't think they can be called cooperatives...). 20min for 1st vaccs, skin, bloods etc. I'm usually able to stick reasonably to time, but that's only through catching up during straight forward boosters and rechecks and admitting or sending away anything needing more complex work-up to come back later.

How much nurse support do people have? I get all meds ready myself, I'd imagine a dedicated nurse in dispensary would make 10min appointments easier, with one in the consult room writing notes and helping examine animals 7.5 minutes would probably be doable...

Re: Appointment times

Vikki Halliday LLB — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:32:14 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]I never mind been proven wrong. Tell me which corporate [/quote]

We are not a corporate, more of a co-operative as we each own our own practices, however we started off with 15 min appointment times when I opened last year, and have stuck with this. It definately releives some of the pressure of being sole vet having plenty of time to talk to clients, try and bond them to the practice and carry out the necessary tests within the consult.

Skins, eyes, ears, new puppies/kittens and anything over 7years that is "just not right" and PTS get 30 mins.

However that is my decision and I know there are those within the group who are just as happy with 10 mins.

I also once worked for the PDSA, and 7.5 mins was a nightmare, especially when there were three lines of appointments for 2 vets!

Re: Appointment times

Sara Ramsey — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 23:11:47 GMT

We have 10 minute slots which are fully booked all the time. It's not so bad at the branch where we have nurses but at our busiest branch there is no nurse (just vet and receptionist/assistant) so you have to do all the vaccine cards/prescription labels and dispensing as well. I might suggest the "catch up" slot as it infuriates me when an " old cat, drinking more" is squeezed into a five minute slot. I hate running late and feel very pressurized when there is 5 or 6 on the waiting list. It's a horrible feeling thinking that you haven't given people value for money because you are rushed.

Re: Appointment times

Claire Fisher — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 23:09:07 GMT

Our standard is 10 min, 1st vaccs, dressing changes, pregnancy scans and PTS get 20min and we can book longer appts for more complicated cases if we want to - I'd love 15 mins as standard though.

Re: Appointment times

Bob Russell — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:11:01 GMT

We will do a PTS at the end of surgery to allow the owners time on their own if they wish. This can easily take 30-45 mins but we will be doing other things in the background so it will usually only take 15-20 mins of vet/nurse time. Owners appreciate this and it bonds them to the practice more than anything else I can think of.

Re: Appointment times

Amanda Nicholls — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:41:46 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]

[quote user="amanda nicholls"]and 45 mins for PTS[/quote]

Blimey - does that include a funeral service and a Requiem Mass ?

[/quote]

Unfortunately I only have 1 consult room

Re: Appointment times

bob lehner — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:34:55 GMT

[quote user="amanda nicholls"]and 45 mins for PTS[/quote]

Blimey - does that include a funeral service and a Requiem Mass ?

Re: Appointment times

KathW — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:25:52 GMT

[quote user="Wren"]

How on earth do those with 7 min appointments book the clients in? Do you tell them that 'your appointment will be at 10.22am'?

[/quote]

Book 10am next appt time 10.05 am and 10.10 left blank. Then book 10.15 10.20 leave 10.25 blank. etc

So double disappointment for the 10.05 appt as not really scheduled till 10.07.30 and we're running a bit behind as well!

Re: Appointment times

Jillian Hall — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:19:16 GMT

I have 10 minute appointments but with plenty of things delegated 20mins (basically anything that needs you to go and find a 2nd pair of hands - PTS, bloods, dressing changes...)

I've been looking at was of reducing time pressure during consults. I like the concept of empowering your clients to manage their time better during consults. I've read about a few interesting suggestions to use at the time of booking the appointment. You can try things like letting the client know how long their appointment is e.g "You're appointment is from 9am until 9.15" so that they have more realistic expectations and don't throw up an extra 5 problems as you're trying to get them out the door. Or if they have a complex problems saying "I've booked a 10 minute appointment for you, do you think that would be enough or would you like longer? The latter has the added bonus that it gives permission to charge a 'long' consultation fee.

I've yet to see how whether these concepts actually get adopted and how effective they are, if at all, but I like the idea.

Re: Appointment times

Clive Ansell — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:59:40 GMT

usually 2 every 15 minutes, so 7 1/2 really.

Re: Appointment times

Wren — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:43:15 GMT

How on earth do those with 7 min appointments book the clients in? Do you tell them that 'your appointment will be at 10.22am'?

Re: Appointment times

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:43:13 GMT

I learned to touch type, saved me a helluva lot of time on writing notes! :)

Re: Appointment times

Helen Wallace — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:18:07 GMT

We have 10 min appointments with space for 2 'extras' each hour. We are usually fully booked. Since we don't have nurse clinics there is the occasional stitches out etc that lets you catch up but a lot of the time we struggle and run late. The clients are by and large very good about it but I do hate starting consults wit "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting but..." I also hate stopping after hours to type up records/sort bloods/ring clients/all the things I haven't done during surgery 'cos I was trying not to get too far behind

Re: Appointment times

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:01:37 GMT

10 minutes here; independent practice. Doubles for first vaccs and pts; skin or anything possibly complicated.

I would completely agree that 7 minutes consults are too easy to overrun - in fact, with complicated notes on a complicated case, it's probably 7 minutes booking and writing everything up!

Re: Appointment times

Amanda Nicholls — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:55:41 GMT

15 minute appointments as a minimum it's so important for cats to have time to settle in before being examined. 30 mins for new clients, 2nd opinion, blood tests and 45 mins for PTS. Definitely one of the best things about having my own practice, never feel stressed about time pressure! receptionists are trained to ask the right questions and book the necessary amount of time - works >95% time.

Re: Appointment times

Noweia — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:54:06 GMT

We have 10 minutes, but only one consult room and one vet consulting at a time, so if you go over there's not a huge queue building up. Some will be quicker than 10mins e.g. wound checks, but some are longer to make up for it! e.g. first vaccs. Sometimes we run over and finish late, but clients don't mind because they know if they need it we will spend 20-30mins with them when it's their turn.

Re: Appointment times

Louise6732 — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:57:57 GMT

We have 15m appointments, we have recently changed from 10min appointments about 4months ago or so. I find it much better, as it allows me time to write notes etc at the end of the consult too.

At our branch practice and on Saturday mornings we're still on 10min appts, but we book doubles for PTS etc. We're luckily able to be very flexible with our appointment times.

One thing I try to encourage is those 'check over old cat' consults which haven't been seen for 5+ yrs etc to get booked for a 30m slot, allows time for bloods or PTS, as this is usually what they end up as!

Re: Appointment times

CatherineThomas — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:06:48 GMT

CVS

I don't think they deserve the bad press that corporate practices get. They basically let us do what we want so long as the practice performance is acceptable. We do have preferred products that we have to use and decisions have to go through head office so it can take longer to ge a decision on things. But these are really the only bad points.

Re: Appointment times

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:30:11 GMT

[quote user="CatherineBoden"]

Actually, I work in a corporate practice and we have 15 min appointments. We also book double appointments sometimes for difficult clients or pts. it's great having 15 min appointments and I wouldn't want to go back to 10 mins if I had a choice. My previous jobs have been in small private practices and at both of those we had 10 min appointments.

[/quote]

I never mind been proven wrong. Tell me which corporate - as I'm thinking of selling up soon but carrying on working I might give them a shout!

Re: Appointment times

CatherineThomas — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:21:10 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

It would seem a pattern is developing here and I would bet heavily that all those reporting less than 10 min appointment times are assistants/locums working in low cost/corporate practices and those talking about 10-20 minute plus slots are self-employed in sole charge or 2-3 man practices who value bonded clients, quality of service and quality of life above the bottom line.

[/quote]

Re: Appointment times

Charlotte Marshall — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:49:11 GMT

We have 10 min apointments but book a double for PTS and a few clients we know take a long time. It is still not unusual to run behind and 15 mins would be great!

Re: Appointment times

Alan Tevendale — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:30:05 GMT

We rota in 10 mins per appointment, however in many cases these still run over. PTS, 1st vacc etc tend to get at least a double slot and if reception knows a particular client will take extra time then they'll book accordingly. Even still we do run over. Most of the time this doesn't matter too much as often (especially in afternoons) we will have a spare vet who is rota'd on for LA work free to help with consults. I certainly couldn't imagine being able to give clients the service that they are paying for in anything less then 10 mins.

Re: Appointment times

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:23:28 GMT

Re: Appointment times

Clive Ansell — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:46:52 GMT

I feel I need a minimum of 10 minute appointments to do my job properly, I find I cannot carry out an examination and discuss findings in less than that. 15 minutes is better. I try my best to run to time and not keep people waiting, thus I will admit things rather than do in the consult unless very quick. Last night I was running late, so 2 animals needing bloods were bounced until this morning (better anyway, as patient starved and bloods fresh for in house analysis)

One place I work books five an hour alternating between 10 and 15 minute slots. good idea and works really well. It only falls down when reception staff are not up to speed and will book a second vacc for 15 min, and a dog with 4 separate problems in for 10 mins.

I've worked in few low cost clinics that operate no appointments or 5 minute ones.Impossible to do job properly, so one has to lower expectations and do less, or sometimes just kick to touch and bounce back another day.