Veterinary services are very much in-demand. It is estimated that there are 120,000 veterinarians practicing in the US, which demonstrates the importance of their services.
To keep up with the needs of the patients they serve, they must maintain good focus. Besides budget cuts and limited space, they face additional challenges every day from all the administrative works that accompany the job.
People often treat their pets like children and want the very best care for them whenever possible. For those working in a veterinary position, it’s a 24/7 job where every day is a new adventure. This can be in the form of stress, irritable patients, and an ever-growing mountain of paperwork to be filled out daily. As much as Veterinarians love their jobs, it can take a huge toll on their well-being. Thankfully, we can offer them some help in the form of a Virtual Veterinary Assistant.
What is a Virtual Veterinary Assistant?
Thanks to advances in technology and communication systems, Virtual Assistants can connect to any office located anywhere in the world. Thanks to an Internet connection and encryption software, they can be your chair-side assistant and you can delegate tasks to them while you work with the patient. This allows a Virtual Assistant to fulfill the same exact duties as an in-house assistant. From answering phone calls to booking appointments and surgeries, the Virtual Veterinary Assistant does it all.
Veterinarians can now designate someone else to handle scheduling appointments, taking notes during consultations, and giving post-op care instructions. This is all taken care of by their Virtual Veterinary Assistant, leaving veterinarians to focus on more essential care matters.
What Can a Virtual Veterinary Assistant Do for You?
If this is a new concept for you, you may be wondering if you need one. Well, I can tell you that they definitely help make your workload lighter, and they can enhance the overall patient experience by reducing wait times and taking care of paperwork during visits instead of after. Because remember, all they need is an internet connection and PC to connect with your business. You can begin receiving the benefits of this service right away.
Task Delegation
Animal doctors, like human doctors, work 50 -60 hours per week, which can leave them feeling stressed and overworked. But the presence of a Virtual Veterinary Assistant allows them to delegate important tasks such as completing and filing paperwork, so it does cut into the time that Veterinarians spend taking care of their patients. Not only does this allows the veterinarian to concentrate their attention on more critical veterinary tasks, but it also reduces stress levels and fatigue.
Choose the Hours That Fit Your Needs
When it comes to employing a Virtual Veterinary Assistant, you benefit from setting their work hours as needed. Since Virtual Assistants don’t work regular 9 – 5 shifts, you can choose the hours and times that fit your needs. There are no minimum requirements, no contracts, and no extra fees. They are available when you need them, even if it is only a couple of hours per day. When you think about it, you can accomplish a lot in 4 hours and for a lot less than hiring a full-time staff member.
More Office Space
The amount of physical space taken up by our mote worker is “0”. A Virtual Assistant supplies their own office supplies and doesn’t require any space in your office. If you wanted to, you could use the extra space to enlarge your waiting room to accommodate more patients. An in-house employee requires a desk, parking space, equipment, taxes, and health benefits. This new arrangement offers more benefits, cuts out unnecessary -expenses, and facilitates a better working environment.
Increased Productivity
Healthcare workers are in demand 24/7, and that includes veterinarians too. All types of things happen after hours and on weekends that require their attention. Sometimes there are patients who need prescriptions called into the pharmacy or need instructions for a new medicine the doctor prescribed. These things can be handled by a Virtual Assistant so you can extend your office hours to take last-minute emergency calls and take care of the administrative paperwork. It’s like getting back more hours in a day because you get so much more done in the same amount of time.
Cost Savings
One of the most attractive benefits of hiring a Virtual Veterinary Assistant is that they can actually save you money. That might seem odd, considering that you’re spending money by hiring them. But, overall, you spend a lot less by hiring a Virtual Veterinary Assistant for a few hours per day than recruiting, hiring, and training a new permanent staff member. Costs saved can be invested back into the business to generate more growth.
Virtual Veterinary Assistants can integrate with your office procedures and work alongside your other staff to improve the office environment and the patient experience for all of your clients and their pets.
Get in touch with VA.care today and take control of your practice’s future.