Using veterinary assistants

How Veterinary Practices Can Integrate Virtual Staff Members

With tech advancements constantly emerging, many businesses are taking advantage of the thriving virtual workspace and cost-saving remote team members, including veterinary practices. Even though offshore professionals like virtual veterinary assistants have an excellent selection of benefits such as cost and time efficiency [1], practice leaders must plan strategically for seamless integration.

For veterinary practice leaders looking into gaining the advantages that come with virtual veterinary assistants and adapting the new approach of providing quality animal care, here is how they can effectively integrate virtual staff members into their practice:

1. Determine the Specific Job Roles Needed

Identifying the exact job roles they will fill is essential to onboard a virtual veterinary assistant successfully. These roles can encompass a comprehensive range of responsibilities – from fostering a positive experience right as pet owners enter the clinic to promoting the practice’s credibility. Virtual veterinary assistants can take on various job roles, with the most common being:

Veterinary Receptionist

Innovative technology has allowed virtual veterinary receptionists to provide an essential service – being at the forefront of interacting with pet owners and their furry friends. Whether scheduling appointments, greeting pet owners, or keeping up-to-date medical records [2], these professionals often have the skill and competence to perform such tasks.

Veterinary Billing

Apart from receptionist roles, virtual veterinary billing assistants also offer services to keep the financial side of pet care streamlined and running smoothly. From creating invoices and verifying insurance to sending billing statements and setting up payment plans, they can help ensure veterinarians get proper reimbursements and support the practice’s profitability.

Veterinary Scribes

Another responsibility that virtual veterinary assistants can handle is ensuring that the practice remains compliant with regulations and standards as veterinary scribes. They can create detailed histories of an animal’s medical condition and treatment plans and record laboratory test results accurately in an EHR system, ultimately promoting the practice’s credibility.

2. Onboard the Right People

Virtual and in-person team members are equally important because they contribute directly to the productivity of veterinary practices and the quality of care they provide. For this reason, practice leaders should see to it that they only pick the best. When sourcing potential virtual veterinary assistants, practice leaders should take a holistic approach and consider the following:

Qualifications and Experience

One of the most important things for practice leaders to look at is a candidate’s qualifications and experience because these will help determine how eligible a person is for the job. What is their educational attainment? Do they possess any relevant certifications? How many years have they been in the industry? These key determinants can help practice leaders identify candidates who will thrive in and with their organization.

Communication Skills

Because virtual veterinary assistants work remotely, their capacity to communicate smoothly and accurately is a crucial indicator of success. Practice leaders should assess candidates right in the early stages of recruitment. Not only will the best person for the job articulate well, but they will also demonstrate a strong understanding of the importance of communication within the virtual workspace, reinforcing open dialogue throughout all levels of collaboration.

Work Equipment

The efficiency of virtual veterinary assistants also depends on the device they work with. A competitive edge remote professionals have over their in-person counterparts is that they secure their equipment without relying on the practice they work for. Virtual staff members should meet the practice’s requirements for computer specifications and internet speed to help ensure they can work effectively from a technical standpoint.

3. Create Clear Job Descriptions and Expectations

One of the biggest challenges of integrating virtual veterinary assistants into the existing team is ensuring they clearly understand their responsibilities and expectations. To mitigate this hurdle, practice leaders should create clear job descriptions for each virtual staff member. Outline specific tasks and responsibilities, and establish clear expectations about the following:

Communication

Establish clarity in the virtual workspace by creating reliable communication protocols. This means streamlining contact methods and setting realistic expectations of when virtual veterinary assistants should respond to messages.

Availability

In most cases, virtual veterinary assistants work on the opposite side of the world as the practice. To ensure consistent productivity, practice leaders should clearly define the hours of operation to bridge any time zone differences.

Deadlines

Setting clear task deadlines is essential when working with a virtual veterinary assistant. Doing so can help ensure that they work on and complete tasks promptly, eliminating the odds of delays and unproductivity.

4. Provide Adequate Orientation and Training

Investing in time for training and orienting virtual veterinary assistants is essential to ensure successful integration and peak performance. Doing so provides an excellent opportunity for practices to build stronger teams by ensuring their virtual team members understand the practice’s particularities that are best taught by someone who works in it.

Staff Introduction

Streamline and boost productivity by introducing virtual veterinary assistants to the in-person staff they’ll work closely with. By fostering collaboration between the two, practice leaders can create a cohesive workspace atmosphere.

Collaboration and Task Management Tools

Using collaboration and task management tools can help bridge the gap between virtual and in-person team members, allowing them to work together on specific projects. Since these tools are often tailored to the practice’s needs, it is essential to train virtual team members on their usage to maximize their effectiveness.

Integrating virtual staff members can lead to higher productivity, cost optimization, and overall quality service delivery in veterinary practices. However, it also implies that practice leaders should execute it with strategic planning and safeguarding measures.

By applying the guidance shared in this article, veterinary practice leaders can create and implement a virtual support system poised to free up clinic staff from time-consuming tasks and administrative responsibilities. Furthermore, taking the first step by reaching out to a trusted virtual assistant company is the ideal way to find the best virtual veterinary assistant who can help enhance productivity in existing practical processes.

My Mountain Mover is a reliable virtual assistant company that provides the best virtual veterinary talent for practices with varying degrees of need and preferences. To guarantee this, we deploy a thorough screening process that allows us to welcome only the top 2% of applicants into our pool of virtual professionals. We also provide continuous support so practices can focus on making the most out of their virtual veterinary assistant.

Schedule a 10-minute discovery call with us today to learn more.

References:

[1] “6 amazing benefits of offshoring” timedoctor.com

[2] “‘Think with Your Ink:’ 4 Reasons Why Proper Medical Record Documentation Is Vital” scp-health.com