The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle a topic from the mailbag. A part time associate DVM has reached out to us and asked how they can go about gaining respect from the team when they aren’t there all the time. This particular associate is struggling with someone on the team who is a bit of a Queen Bee, however, Andy and Stephanie want to weigh in on the bigger picture questions about how do we build relationships, trust and connection with the team. But if you need some Queen Bee advice too, listen to episode number 107! Those are foundational blocks to building the respect that Part Timer so desperately wants and needs. Let’s get into this...

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Uncharted Founding Member, Licensed Veterinary Technician and Practice Management consultant Senani Ratnayake is going to be offering up a phenomenal workshop for the public on Aug 14, 2021. Senani tackles a problem that is always present to a degree in our practices - workflow challenges. Some inefficiencies might feel normal to us because we've always done it that way and we don't even realize there might be a better way to move forward. This 4-hour workshop (approved for 4hrs RACE and CVPM credit) is here to help. Come dissect your hospital’s workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT so you can get out of the woods in 4 strategic steps. Then, talk through what it will take to get your team on board to lean into your strengths and address your weaknesses.

Registration is OPEN for our October Uncharted Veterinary Culture Conference! Come join us and work intentionally on your practice instead of in it: https://unchartedvet.com/uvc-culture/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle a topic from the mailbag. A fellow practice manager reached out to Stephanie asking about an upcoming team retreat they are planning. The team is going to get together offsite and they are closing the clinic down to work on team building and have a little fun. But some of the team has stated they don’t want to come if they aren’t going to get paid. Dr. Roark and Stephanie weigh in on how to get yourself in the right headspace to tackle this one as well as some advice on protecting yourself (keep it legal!), honoring your team’s time inside and outside of the clinical schedule and still getting to have some fun. Let’s get into this...

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Uncharted Founding Member, Licensed Veterinary Technician and Practice Management consultant Senani Ratnayake is going to be offering up a phenomenal workshop for the public on Aug 14, 2021. Senani tackles a problem that is always present to a degree in our practices - workflow challenges. Some inefficiencies might feel normal to us because we've always done it that way and we don't even realize there might be a better way to move forward. This 4-hour workshop (approved for 4hrs RACE and CVPM credit) is here to help. Come dissect your hospital’s workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT so you can get out of the woods in 4 strategic steps. Then, talk through what it will take to get your team on board to lean into your strengths and address your weaknesses.

Registration is OPEN for our October Uncharted Veterinary Culture Conference! Come join us and work intentionally on your practice instead of in it: https://unchartedvet.com/uvc-culture/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie are going to get up close and personal… about money. There has been a tidal wave of conversation online in recent weeks about veterinary medicine having turned away from the idea of a living wage for so long. After all, we are in for the animals and not the money, right? Time to change that image and thought process. Let’s start the discussion, shall we?

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

We have SO much good stuff coming at you guys in August. Check out the following workshops and if you haven’t secured your seat for the first ever Uncharted Culture conference, DO IT. We want to see you there and hear your voice in the conversation!

Aug 14, 2021: The Secret Sauce to Optimizing Workflow

The way we are doing things isn’t working. At least, not working well. Some inefficiencies might feel normal to us because we've always done it that way and we don't even realize there might be a better way to move forward.

This 4-hour workshop (approved for 4hrs RACE and CVPM credit) is here to help.

Dissect your hospital’s workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT so you can get out of the woods in 4 strategic steps. Then, talk through what it will take to get your team on board to lean into your strengths and address your weaknesses.

This workshop will sell out! Register now and save your spot for $199 (free for Uncharted members)!

August 18, 2021: 12 STEPS TO CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS

“Can we talk?”

These are words no one wants to hear or say. But, do they have to be?

Effective communication is a vital tool for any veterinary professional, and just like with every other tool, preparation and practice improve outcomes.

The Uncharted Critical Conversations Workshop, led by Dr. Andy Roark will help you to RELAX and know that you are ready to have the conversations you’ve been dreading. You will feel polished with a clear plan to make you successful, regardless of the conversation you are about to have.

Leave behind the days of wishing away hard conversations and get ready to feel prepared.

October Uncharted Veterinary Conference: https://unchartedvet.com/uvc-culture/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and veterinary practice manager Stephanie Goss weigh in on a great question from the mailbag. A practice manager asked “Our clinic has always paid good for our area, but we have never offered much in terms of benefits. I am losing great staff members because they can get retirement plans, more vacation time, better discounts, etc. at other practices in the area. What do you recommend I do (as a practice manager who can’t really put anything into place without the owner’s buy-in) to help show that we need to offer better benefits? How do you recommend a clinic add benefits to their employment package without breaking the bank?

Stephanie and Andy talked through some of the most common benefits to consider during the episode. But Stephanie also promised to share some of the outside the box and/or ideas she loved that don’t break the bank with you guys! Here they are:

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

https://unchartedvet.com/product/the-secret-sauce-to-optimizing-workflow/

The Secret Sauce To Optimizing Workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT.

The way we are doing things isn’t working. At least, not working well. Some inefficiencies might feel normal to us because we've always done it that way and we don't even realize there might be a better way to move forward.

This 4-hour workshop is here to help.

Dissect your hospital’s workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT so you can get out of the woods in 4 strategic steps. Then, talk through what it will take to get your team on board to lean into your strengths and address your weaknesses.

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and veterinary practice manager Stephanie Goss wade into the wage discussion that is rapidly gaining traction in veterinary medicine. Minimum wage is quickly rising in places all over the country. Andy and Stephanie got a note from a friend who said:

“I live in California, where the minimum wage is soon to be $15/hour. I saw a sign at our local McDonald’s on my way to work that said they were hiring at $15/hour with a $500 signing bonus… How do I possibly compete?”

This episode covers a lot of ground worth considering:

The discussion and pressure on wages are a good thing for veterinary medicine. We have needed to raise the wage base to a living wage for a long time. It will get messy. We will need to work together to figure out the answers. But this is a good thing for our practices in the long run.

Can we raise wages without passing the entirety of the rise on to our clients?

How in the heck do we stay within industry benchmarks when those were built on wages that were, in some locations, less than ½ of the new minimum wage?

Minimum wage is going up but social security isn’t. What do we do about elderly clients or clients on fixed incomes? Is pet care only going to be easily accessible for the financially elite clients?

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

https://unchartedvet.com/product/the-secret-sauce-to-optimizing-workflow/

The Secret Sauce To Optimizing Workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT.

The way we are doing things isn’t working. At least, not working well. Some inefficiencies might feel normal to us because we've always done it that way and we don't even realize there might be a better way to move forward.

This 4-hour workshop is here to help.

Dissect your hospital’s workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT so you can get out of the woods in 4 strategic steps. Then, talk through what it will take to get your team on board to lean into your strengths and address your weaknesses.

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and veterinary practice manager Stephanie Goss give their takes on a topic that deserves more attention - team member’s personal pets and the care we give them. The questions specifically asked were:

How do we schedule team member’s pets for care - do we smush them in where we have time when they need it or do we take spots in the paying client schedule?

Do we treat wellness/preventative care visits differently than we do when it's urgent/emergent? Should we treat it differently?

Things to consider when discussing with your leadership team or considering your pet benefit scheduling:

Are we treating our team like clients?

A lot of us value patients like extended members of their families. Shouldn’t we be doing the same for our team member’s pets?

What are some of the external benefits to have team members experience life as a client? And on the flip side, are there internal benefits and what are they?

How do we balance providing care for team pets when we offer it as a discount? Do we give vets production? Do we have the team pay full price for certain circumstances? How do we help them realize their pet benefits don’t mean free pet care (or do they? Can they?)

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

The Secret Sauce To Optimizing Workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT. The way we are doing things isn’t working. At least, not working well. Some inefficiencies might feel normal to us because we've always done it that way and we don't even realize there might be a better way to move forward. This 4-hour workshop is here to help.

Dissect your hospital’s workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT so you can get out of the woods in 4 strategic steps. Then, talk through what it will take to get your team on board to lean into your strengths and address your weaknesses.

https://unchartedvet.com/product/the-secret-sauce-to-optimizing-workflow/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

On this week’s episode of the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Practice Manager Stephanie Goss are joined by Dr. Jennifer Quammen, the Chief Veterinary Officer from TeleVet (www.televet.com) and they are talking about a few of the things that we are actually excited to keep in our lives after curbside transitions into its next phase. A few of the things that we discuss are:

-there is no point in going 'backwards to normal'

-how do we continue 'moving forward' by incorporating all the lessons learned and efficiencies gained from the past year

-What are the positives?

New technology - We as a vet field have been WAY behind the curve with technology for a long time. COVID forced us to get with the current times in regards to the tech we are using with our clients. Things like texting, two way app chat platforms, checking in virtually etc. are all things that clients have professed great love for and we don’t see disappearing from view any time soon.

New workflows (no HUGE stacks of charts!!!)

More teamwork: We were short handed A LOT so we all learned different jobs we never had to do before.

More prepared: taking histories ahead of time leads to more thorough histories because the DVM can zoom in on the things that are really important, concerning to the owner and/or concerning to them.

Better behaving patients: they don’t pick up on parental anxieties so we are finding our patients are more calm, more often!

Less “chefs” in the kitchen: when we had 3 people come in for an exam before, we had to sort through all the voices/concerns. Now we usually are dealing with 1 person on the phone or we can teleconference with people who we need in the exam room but previously wouldn’t have been able to be there (teenager brings in patient but mom is at work).

Links:

You guys!! We have HUGE exciting news for you. The team at Televet is giving our listeners a special bonus. Go check out the offer just for our podcast listeners at www.televet.com/uncharted

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Secret Sauce to Optimizing Workflow: August 14

12 Steps to Critical Conversations: August 18

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and veterinary practice manager Stephanie Goss tackle a great question from a friend and fellow practice manager. The discussion tackles what do we do when people on the team ask to leave before their shift ends? In this particular instance, it was a team member who has children and was asking to leave early to take their kids to sports practice on a regular basis. But their shift normally goes 2-3 hours past when they want to leave. This manager was asking “how do we balance work needs and the wants/needs of the team when it comes to scheduling conflicts like this?”

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

The Secret Sauce To Optimizing Workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT.

The way we are doing things isn’t working. At least, not working well. Some inefficiencies might feel normal to us because we've always done it that way and we don't even realize there might be a better way to move forward.

This 4-hour workshop is here to help.

Dissect your hospital’s workflow with Senani Ratnayake, RVT so you can get out of the woods in 4 strategic steps. Then, talk through what it will take to get your team on board to lean into your strengths and address your weaknesses.

https://unchartedvet.com/product/the-secret-sauce-to-optimizing-workflow/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss are into discussion about what to do when client behavior makes the team feel uncomfortable but hasn’t moved into “firing” territory. When a client gets flirty, uses pet names or other language that make the team feel uncomfortable, how do we make sure the team feels safe? A few of the things that we discuss are:

When it comes to headspace, we need to remember that the client is not always right. We also need to remember that it is our duty as practice leaders to protect our team from harassment, regardless of who is doing the harassing.

Action steps that all of us can take to build awareness regarding harassment with our teams:

Teach your team to recognize inappropriate behaviors/language

The first sign of inappropriate behavior: when someone’s actions or conversation makes someone else uncomfortable.

People who are making inappropriate comments will first ‘test the waters’ by making inappropriate jokes or mild comments to gauge response. If the other person dismisses the comment, they will likely continue with the inappropriate conversation or actions.

Inappropriate touch/conversation is anything that makes you uncomfortable! It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

An action or remark could be considered harassment if you direct the client to stop, but that direction is ignored.

Have a complaint process that your team knows about so they know who to talk to and when.

Investigate when a complaint is made.

Safety in numbers - use a buddy system when in the building at night, leaving work after dark and when in exam rooms with a client who anyone is concerned about.

Lights, camera, action: cameras in rooms! Cameras can save lives. Be aware of state and local laws regarding recording and ensure compliance with required notifications but having cameras in the room can allow for impartial investigation since someone can literally see/hear what actually happened.

Panic buttons aren’t just for the ER! Consider panic buttons for your exam rooms.

Provide bystander intervention training (if you see something, say something)

Steps for your team to take:

Tell the client to stop, that it is inappropriate and making them uncomfortable.

Report behavior to manager.

Management needs a plan for how to handle it and the team should know what that plan is.

Manager should speak to the client and let them know that the behavior(s) won’t be tolerated and must stop. If they don’t, the consequences will be…

Sometimes law enforcement is needed (visual cue for people). Make sure your team knows they are empowered to call the police if they do not feel safe!

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Skills in 90: Level Up Your Practice Photos https://unchartedvet.com/product/level-up-photos/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

On this week’s episode of the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Practice Manager Stephanie Goss tackle a topic from the mailbag. We received an email from Dr. Great Medicine Desired. When listening to a recent podcast episode about clients coming back in the building, there was a bit where you guys talked about the language being used when discussing services - making clients turn down good care, rather than offering it as an option and hoping they pick that choice. The practice that Dr. Good Medicine Desired purchased wasn’t exactly known for the most modern and/or high quality medicine and they asked us how to help change the conversation for their team when it comes to discussing medicine choices with clients.

Discussion Points

There are 3 main pieces to this discussion:

-What to say and how to say it

-How to get buy in from the team on raising the medical standard of care

-How to Track It

Getting Buy-In:

You need Core Values and a Purpose Story

Also may need to work through head, heart, and/or hands problems

Embrace the idea that not all clients are right for your practice

THE TEAM HATES ROLE PLAYING! Make them do it anyway. It is about reframing the discussion so they feel like they are role playing without having to get up and perform in front of the group. Andy and Stephanie discuss some options for how to frame this part so that the stakes are lower and buy-in easier.

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Last chance to sign up for Motivating People Who Don’t Want To Be Motivated! This brand-new program was created from a decade of working with practice leaders to motivate veterinary professionals in the trenches. The vast majority of “unmotivated people” are simply not understood or engaged with the messaging that is coming from their practice leaders. We can fix that. This workshop will teach you how. https://unchartedvet.com/motivating-people/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag