Practice Management

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with Dr Lindsay Hay

2012 session: dates to be confirmed

If you have participated in a TimeOnline course or event in the previous 12 months you are eligible for a 10% discount on another TimeOnline course.

Australian veterinary practices are committed to using their scientific knowledge to provide for the welfare and health care of animals. Well-managed practices use good management procedures to achieve better animal health care and treatment outcomes for both owners and the animals they care for. Practice management can be taught and learned. There is strong evidence that good management can improve business profitability and patient outcomes in all veterinary practices whether city or rural, large or small.

Effective human resources management procedures will also improve the quality of life for all veterinary staff. What can we learn from management theory and apply in a practical way in Australian practice? Lindsay Hay is an experienced and well-known veterinary practice owner/ manager who will share his knowledge distilled from over thirty years of experience and his many years studying and listening to overseas and local management speakers. The key themes that will be covered:

the difference that effective practice management procedures can make to practice performance and the quality of the lives of all who work in veterinary practice
the management of a values-based practice and its vision and mission
the importance of recognising, embracing and promoting change within a veterinary business
the celebration of the veterinary practice’s role in promoting the human animal bond
the role of all veterinary practice staff in advocating what is best for animals
an absolute focus on excellent customer service
communication with clients and within a practice
techniques for improving rates of staff retention
the importance of balancing work commitments with the rest of our lives and maintaining a healthy lifestyle

This is a seminar with something for everyone who works in veterinary practice. On completion of this course, participants will have a basic knowledge and understanding of Practice Management.

Course content

The course is designed to take approximately ten (10) hours to complete. It will be broken down into five (5) modules. Each module will require the completion of at least one task.

Modules

Module 1 Veterinary Practice Management: WHERE DO I START?

There is no point in developing a business plan or changing your business direction without knowing where you want to go. 'Know thyself' said Socrates! Why is vision and mission so important? We will explore personal management skills and how to turn dreams and motivation into a vision for our business that engages and inspires the whole practice team.

Module 2 Communication and Leadership

Once you know where you want to go you need to share your plans and dreams with others and take them with you. How can this best be done? What tools and technology might help? Leadership is essential in the management of change and communication skills can be learnt and taught. We will also talk about time management, delegation and the creation of a culture accepting and welcoming of change. Communication within a practice starts at the top but requires the involvement and commitment of everyone who works there.

Module 3 Managing People: The Hardest Part of All

Human resources management is always high on the list of challenges in any small business. Small businesses can however, provide a very rewarding and productive workplace. High staff turnover can be very expensive and frustrating. We will follow the process of employment through legal (IR) responsibilities, hiring, induction and performance evaluation to see how to retain and reward an effective and productive high performance team. Staff training and professional development for all is critical to this process. We will look at the best way to organise and run staff meetings and training programs.
Unit 1 Human Resources Management
Unit 2 Staff training
Unit 3 Using Computers and Technology for Communication and Training in your Practice

Module 4 Customer Service Excellence

Veterinary practices are rightly focused on animal health and the best interests of their patients. Why do we have to worry about their owners and all the other people that might get in the way of that? Success in practice depends on satisfying the people who care for the animals we treat. We must convince them that we are recommending the best for their animals and that they should pay us a fair price for the service. How can we exceed our customers’ expectations all the time? How can we create a profitable and customer-focused business by recommending the in best animal care? The buzzword is compliance and the key is to train our practice team to be problem-solvers and animal advocates. We must address the way we market our services and our practice to our clients and potential clients.

Module 5 Personal Management Skills

Veterinary practice provides a rewarding but challenging career for both veterinarians and support staff. How do we address the problems of burnout that follow on from emotional and physical fatigue? There are many things we can do to help manage these problems in those we work with and ourselves. Grief management and dealing with euthanasia as well as mentoring and support are all critical if we are to keep all staff happy, healthy and motivated.
Unit 1 Avoiding Burnout: The Biggest Risk of All
Unit 2 Staying in Balance: Keeping Pressures to a Minimum While Still Doing our Job
Unit 3 Grief Management and Pet Loss

Tutor

Lindsay Hay

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