Who could have predicted that veterinary business would boom during the pandemic? When the country paused in March 2020, practices searched for solutions and a path forward. They grappled with how operations would proceed during quarantine, identifying changes required to comply with new guidelines, and adopting protocols to protect staff, effectively treat patients, and interact with clients. The practice environment changed suddenly and swiftly. To their credit, owners and managers successfully responded and exceeded all expectations. Handling growing caseloads and thriving financially as the pandemic rages speaks to their skill, professionalism, and resilience.
While practices were busy booking and scheduling patients, the relentless pace and staffing issues and the pandemic left many team members staff feeling stressed, anxious, exhausted, fearful, and a gamut of emotions. As managers, we understand how important it is to maintain a positive, supportive, and compassionate work environment to temper the tension and pressure inherent in operating under extreme conditions. Several staff members have mentioned that resources and support provided by managers have had a positive impact on mental health.
Our ER colleagues have experienced the same increase in demand as general practices; however, their situation is a bit different. Although they noted a rise in emergency appointments, they were also picking up the overflow from general veterinary practices and were treating more routine conditions.
According to Paul Miranda, CVPM, “We see a high level of stress among staff due to increasing workloads, the relentless pace, administrative guidelines, PPE, safety concerns, and more. Managers need to be adept at taking the emotional pulse of staff and taking care of their people.”
ER practices have wrestled with several unique challenges. For example, with requests for services running at an all-time high, staff needed to evaluate which requests were emergencies and which ones were routine to schedule more effectively. Moreover, restricted client access, especially with end-of-life appointments, has been difficult for both staff and clients.
As Paul noted, helping ER staff deal with increased stress has been a staple of this new reality. Managers have had to be vigilant and sensitive to behavior among staff that may raise red flags and indicates that support and services should be offered.
Even in the best of times, ER veterinary staff have higher burnout rates because of hours, the effect on personal lives, and challenging work. This is important and essential work, and I applaud our emergency veterinary workers for rising to the challenge, especially during these difficult times.
There is help…
I am pleased to announce that VHMA recently launched a virtual roundtable series for both emergency and referral practice and general practice managers. It was clear our members needed another way to connect with colleagues to share their experiences. The small groups discussed ways in which managers can impact practice culture to influence change. These virtual discussions are offered monthly; a schedule of upcoming events can be found here.
VHMA also offers a comprehensive library of resources that all managers should access to assist in addressing a wide range of practice and staff issues, especially mental health concerns and other pandemic-related issues.
Eyes on the future…
Personally, one of the issues that I’ve struggled with over the past 13 months has been the pause in face-to-face contact with my colleagues. I am happy and excited to announce that VHMA’s Annual Meeting and Conference will be an in-person event, albeit with limited attendance. Reconnect for Success will be held September 9-11, 2021, in Philadelphia, PA. Registration is open. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Stay strong and be well!
Michelle Gonzales-Bryant, VHMA President