Is Your Vet Tech Answering Your Phones?

In February 2023, the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) wrote an article stating veterinary technicians were being paid more, yet are still facing concerns over wages, burnout and debt.

Due to Covid-19, many veterinary clinics opened again without bringing back their receptionists due to financial reasons. Instead, they rely on veterinary technicians to act as both the technician and receptionist, by answering calls from the back room. They went to school to master their skills with your animal patients, not answer your phones.

AVMA quoted from the 2022 National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), who, every six years, conducts a demographic survey among its members. The most recent version was sent between January and March 2022 and collected 1,886 qualified individual responses. The results, announced January 2023 contain data on veterinary technician wages and hours, educational debt, employee benefits, job satisfaction and wellness, credentials and preferred titles, and more.

Burnout can occur for many reasons, one of which is wearing two hats rather than the one you went to school and were hired for. Expecting your veterinary technician to give 100% with your patients, as well as answer phones from the back while attending to said patients, is a quick way to burnout.

Hiring a virtual veterinary receptionist not only assures you of no missed calls, but they are trained and skilled to answer many questions that you may not have time to answer. They can get your patients booked in for those appointments. They can send over the files requested, or obtain requested files, that neither you nor your veterinary technician have time to sit down to do.

A veterinary practice is the place clients come to receive the best care they can for their family member. Let your veterinary technician do their job to assist you with that, and a virtual veterinary receptionist to handle other things that take you away from that care.