Today’s Veterinary Business provides information and resources designed to help veterinarians and office management improve the financial performance of their practices, allowing them to increase the level of patient care and client service.
Issue link: https://todaysveterinarybusiness.epubxp.com/i/856474
53 August/September 2017 • TODAYSVETERINARYBUSINESS.COM $2 million in annual revenue creates an array of management responsibilities that is realistically greater than any one person can adequately address. In a typical veterinary practice, a manager's scope of responsibility and authority — coupled with her experience and credentials and the hospital size — helps to define an appropriate title and correlating salary range. The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association publishes my go-to salary resource for managers, veterinarians and support team members in VHMA's biannual "Com- pensation and Benefits Survey." Managers and Administrators Let's look at three positions. • A veterinary office man- ager is often responsible for front-office administration, such as reception team supervision and training, ac- counts receivable, and client liaison. The office manager title is sometimes given to a team member serving as an assistant to the practice manager or hospital admin- istrator. This person is under the direct supervision of upper management. • A veterinary practice man- ager generally has a broad range of responsibilities centered around business ac- tivities. Areas that the prac- tice manager governs could include human resources, finance, marketing, law and ethics, operations, technolo- gy, facility maintenance and client services. The degree of access to practice data, the authority to uphold hospital standards and the auton- omy to make decisions as permitted by administration or ownership varies widely and has a direct impact on a practice manager's ability to influence business advance- ment and success. • A veterinary hospital administrator is a member of top management who has been given complete author- ity over business functions, hospital services and per- sonnel. This person works in parallel with ownership or the board of directors. A hospital administrator's role builds upon a practice manager's responsibilities to include professional staffing, practice optimization and strategic planning and implementa- tion. While this title could be given to a qualified manager of any practice size, it is often reserved for someone at a large operation with a hierar- chy of administration. Other Job Titles Beyond these traditional titles, niche roles — human resources manager, bookkeeper, patient care manager — can be created for employees who have specific skill sets that line up with practice demands and financial resources. Non-DVM own- ership of a practice is a possibility for entrepreneurial-minded managers looking for advancement, depend- ing on their state's regulations. Outside of the hospital setting, experienced veterinary managers can find opportunities as a consultant, speaker or writer, or in the veterinary sales industry as a key account manager or in business development. If advancement is your goal, here are three ways to get involved and get ahead: • Networking: Connecting with peers can be an excellent way to further your career. My involvement with VHMA and management groups, coupled with relationships I formed with sales reps and their managers, have led me to consulting jobs, speaking engagements and writing opportunities. • Education: From local meet- ings and national conferences to formal business degree programs, many avenues build upon your knowledge. I always find a pearl of wisdom in each lecture I attend, even if I have heard and read about the topic many times. Earning my MBA allowed me to more confidently and successfully pursue consulting ventures, and it could open the door to the corporate world should I pursue that path. • Certification: Becoming a certified veterinary practice manager (CVPM) challenges managers to elevate their skill sets while proving to an em- ployer their knowledge base and dedication to the profes- sion. Earning a CVPM requires a history of performing spe- cific management duties as well as formal education, suc- cessful test completion and a commitment to continuing education. Like my MBA, my CVPM knocked down many career-advancement barriers. Roughly 500 managers hold this designation and are con- sidered the elite of their field. I have found purpose and passion within the field of veterinary management. Through community involvement, education and forward progress, I can see a lifetime of fulfill- ment in this profession. I hope you also are finding this to be true. Take Charge columnist Abby Suiter is practice manager at Daniel Island Animal Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina. In a typical veterinary practice, a manager's scope of responsibility and authority — coupled with her experience and credentials and the hospital size — helps to define an appropriate title and correlating salary range.