Everyone needs a break. Vacation is a great idea. However, if you have a small practice and a limited number of veterinarians, scheduling vacations can become challenging. And yes, the trickiest part is when you are the only veterinarian. Do you close the clinic? Do you provide your staff with in-depth cleaning and training list? Required PTO? Nail trim and bath party? How about a relief veterinarian?
Common Pitfalls in Utilizing Relief Veterinarians
1. Poor Communication with Clients
- Using the word “relief” undermines client trust (e.g., “We have a relief vet today” sounds less trustworthy).
- CSRs often ask clients if they want to see the relief vet instead of confidently offering an appointment.
- Lack of client notification in advance about the relief vet and continuity of care.
2. Inadequate Internal Team Preparation
- Teams sometimes unintentionally sabotage the relief vet by failing to book appointments or providing poor handoffs.
- Staff may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the relief veterinarian, especially if they have not been introduced beforehand.
- Practices often fail to clearly explain workflows or expectations, leaving relief veterinarians to “wing it.”
3. Lack of Onboarding or Orientation
- No onboarding documents provided (e.g., lab preferences, software used, treatment protocols).
- Relief vets are often unaware of appointment length, practice pace, or even available equipment.
- No standard pricing or procedure estimates in place—relief vets are expected to guess or create pricing.
4. Invoice and Treatment Discrepancies
- Inconsistent invoicing due to a lack of support or oversight.
- Practice owners sometimes micromanage or mistrust invoicing when they are away, even checking charges remotely.
5. Failure to Build Long-Term Relationships
- Practices reach out to relief vets only when in crisis, rather than building a pool of trusted contacts.
- No effort is made to meet or trial relief vets ahead of time, which can create a poor fit or lead to bad experiences for clients and staff.
Steps for Successful Implementation of Relief Veterinarians
1. Establish Proactive Relationships
- Meet relief vets early and often—even before a need arises.
- Invite them for lunch, a tour, or a shadow day to assess their fit.
- Add them to your team page or front-desk bios if they come regularly.
2. Train Your Team on Messaging
- Avoid calling them a “relief vet.” Use their name and position with confidence.
- Empower CSRs with scripts like: “Dr. Johnson is covering while Dr. Bell is away—she’s wonderful and has reviewed your pet’s case.”
3. Provide a Clear Onboarding Packet
Include:
- Preferred software & login support
- In-house diagnostics, pharmacy, and product list
- Referral preferences
- Appointment lengths, pace expectations
- Billing process, surgery pricing, and support structure
- Key contact names and who to go to for what
4. Prep the Physical Environment
- Encourage staff to set up exam rooms with commonly needed tools for scheduled procedures (e.g., otoscope, slides, medications).
- Ensure staff are ready to support the relief vet without requiring them to search or ask for basic information.
5. Implement Invoicing Safeguards
- Let the techs build the invoice, and the vet can review or add edits.
- Create a double-check system—don’t micromanage remotely, but ensure accuracy and support.
- Avoid having the relief vet make pricing decisions—have pre-set fees or templates.
6. Educate Clients in Advance
- For recheck appointments, the regular vet should say: “You’ll be seeing Dr. Johnson next week while I’m away. She’s excellent, and I’ve reviewed your pet’s case with her personally.”
7. Respect the Role of Relief Vets
- Relief vets are business-to-business service providers, not temporary employees.
- Look for those who demonstrate teamwork, flexibility, and a client-service mindset.