Hi! This is your friendly neighborhood relief veterinarian, reaching out with a special PSA for our brick-and-mortar veterinary counterparts! A lot of my clients have reached out with specific questions about how to book a relief veterinarian and how to make their practice more relief-friendly. I wanted to make a quick guide with some pointers on how to make the VPRVR (veterinary practice–relief vet relationship) smooth and enjoyable for both parties.
Have a Great Introduction
You need a relief veterinarian—what should you do first? Say hi! The best way to contact a relief veterinarian is usually through email or text message, although some relief veterinarians may prefer phone calls (as a millennial, I do not usually enjoy talking on the phone without advance notice—ha). The first and most important step is to reach out, let them know what you are looking for, and determine if there is a time for you both to talk.
YOU SHOULD arrange a time to talk via phone or Skype to discuss expectations and make sure that you’re a good fit for each other.
YOU SHOULD NOT expect them to visit your clinic for an “interview.”
Although some relief veterinarians may be open to visiting, many do not have the ability to come on one of their “off days” from work. At the meeting, be sure to discuss what makes your practice unique and any special “quirks” it may have. Review expectations for relief veterinarians, how the daily flow works, and what the policy is for emergency or walk-in appointments.
Make Your Practice “Relief Vet Friendly”
Have a properly trained staff
Especially if the practice manager or other DVMs won’t be around during the first few shifts. Your technical and reception staff should be able to, at a minimum:
- Determine the preventative care needs of each patient based on their medical history compared to the practice’s standard of care
- Be comfortable with basic technical skills: blood draws, IV catheters, etc.
- Be familiar with send-out and in-house lab protocols and options, as well as follow-up procedures if the relief vet won’t be present when results return
- Perform telephone triage and determine what needs urgent intervention, what should come in or speak to a DVM right away, and what can wait for the primary veterinarian
Schedule smartly
Do your best to make sure your relief vet can leave on time each day, and they’ll likely want to book with you again! Use smart scheduling practices. For example, don’t schedule a high-FAS dog that will need a sedated exam as the last appointment of the day.
Communicate!
Ask the relief veterinarian about their preferences for appointment times, surgeries, walk-ins, drop-offs, euthanasias, and lunch breaks. If possible within your clinic’s workflow, try to be flexible with their requests.
Nurture the Relationship
The best way to have a relief vet want to continue working with your practice is to make sure they feel confident, capable, and supported while they’re at your clinic. If they’re constantly stressed and feel stretched too thin, they may (even unintentionally) deprioritize working with you.
You should also notify your relief vet about dates that you need coverage as soon as you know. Many relief veterinarians book out 2–3 months in advance. You should not get agitated if the relief vet didn’t “save” you days you didn’t explicitly request—remember, this is a “gig”-type position, and the financial success of the relief vet depends on booking up their calendar ASAP. If you’re unsure of how to “reserve” dates moving forward, ask your relief veterinarian about the best way to request and book with them.
If you feel like you’ve been “ghosted” by a relief veterinarian, do your best to find out why—and do NOT get defensive. It may be that they simply wanted to work closer to home, have been busy with other practices, or that there’s something about your clinic that put them off. It’s always better to find out why they may not want to return—this could potentially scare off other relief vets (or even future associates).
Another faux pas I often see is when clinics continuously pressure or try to recruit the relief veterinarian. Although some relief vets may be looking for their next associate role, many are career relief veterinarians or are in this field for a reason. If you’re hiring, you can definitely mention it once or twice—but don’t push the topic every time you see them!
If you follow these steps, you’ll build fantastic relationships with your relief veterinarian(s), which will help ensure you get coverage when your hospital needs it most!
Join the Convesation!
Relief veterinarians: What’s something helpful that practice owners or managers can do to help you have a great day at their clinic?
Practice managers or owners: What’s one challenge you face when booking relief veterinarians?
Comment below or email me at drkatiehogan@katiehogandvm.com with your thoughts about this blog post! Lets connect!