Introduction to Veterinary Technology: Its Laws and Ethics 2

A veterinary or animal clinic is a facility in which the practice conducted may include inpatient and outpatient diagnosis and treatment.

Clinic

A patient who comes to the veterinary practice, is treated, and then leaves without being hospitalized for at least 24 hours.

Outpatient

The process a practice goes through to define or update its mission and vision and to allocate resources that will help the practice meets its goals.

Strategic planning

A system in which clients can bring their pets to be seen at a veterinary practice without having to make an appointment.

Walk-in system

A system in which clients call the veterinary practice ahead of time to schedule a specific time and date to bring their pets in to be seen.

Appointment system

The period during the DVM meets with the client and patient for the purposes of diagnosis/treatment.

Consultation

A referral facility provides services by those veterinarians with a special interest in certain species or a particular area of veterinary hospital.

Referral facility

The American Animal Hospital Association. It is the organization that offers voluntary accreditation programs for veterinary hospitals.

AAHA

Certified Veterinary Practice Manager. It is a certification awarded by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association to candidates who successfully complete veterinary management work experience and continuing education in management, submit letters of recommendation, and pass a board examination.

CVPM

A position typically found in large practices, the nursing supervisor recruits, hires, and trains staff, in addition to performing other managerial duties.

Nursing supervisor

The acronym for practice information management system, one of a number of available software products that veterinary practices employ for varied management activities.

PIMS

Statement of cash flows

A statement reflecting the sources and uses of cash during a particular period.

Accounts Receivable

Money owed to the practice by the client for the sale of goods and services.

Key performance indicator

A metric used by the practice to evaluate performance.

Net Income

The amount of money left over after expenses are subtracted from revenue.

Revenue by Category

A metric used to analyze the types of services clients are electing to receive.

Budget

A tool for managing the finances of a practice that includes estimated amounts for revenue and expenses.

Outpatient Clinic

A facility in which the practice conducted may include short-term admission of patients, but where all patients are discharged at the end of the workday.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital

A facility in which consultative, clinical, and hospital services are rendered, and in which a large staff of basic and applied veterinary scientists perform.

Haul-in Facility

A facility that is set up to allow large animals to be brought to the practice for examination or treatment.

Specialty Facility

A facility that provides services by board-certified veterinarian(s)/specialist(s).

Hospital/Clinic

A facility in which the practice conducted typically or may include inpatient care as well as outpatient diagnostics and treatment.

Mobile Practice

A veterinary practice conducted from a vehicle with special medical or surgical facilities, or from a vehicle suitable for making house or farm calls.

Referral Facility

A facility in which veterinarians with a special interest in a specific species or area of veterinary medicine provide service.

Emergency Facility

A facility with the primary function of receiving, treating, and monitoring emergency patients during its specified hours of operation.

Center

A word in the name of an animal care or veterinary facility that strongly implies an advanced depth or scope of practice.

Mixed Animal Practice

A facility that treats both companion animals and livestock.

Basic Animal Husbandry

Kennel Attendant

Performing Surgery

Veterinarian

Updating Client and Patient Information

Receptionist

Animal Restraint

Veterinary Assistant

Making Appointments

Receptionist

Patient Assessment

Veterinary Technician/Technologist

Client Education

Veterinary Technician/Technologist

Completing Medical Record Entries

Veterinary Technician/Technologist

Sending out Vaccine Reminders

Internal Marketing

Sponsoring a Little League Team

External Marketing

Personal Appearance of Staff

Internal Marketing

Sincere Care for and Concern About Each Client

Internal Marketing

Creating a Facebook Page for the Practice

External Marketing

Sending out Newsletters

Internal Marketing

Placing an Advertisement in the Yellow Pages

External Marketing

Full-service Care

Internal Marketing

Practice App

Internal Marketing

A Sign Outside the Practice

External Marketing

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. For a veterinary practice to be successful, most of the staff will play some role related to management.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. The types of staff positions needed in a practice will vary greatly depending on the size and type of the practice.

False

Regardless of the size and practice, overall types of staff positions tend to be similar.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. When it comes to naming veterinary facilities, the terms hospital, clinic, and office can be used interchangeably.

False

The AVMA has developed guidelines for consistency in naming veterinary facilities to prevent confusion by the general public.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. When it comes to delegating tasks, the best-run clinics assign tasks to the lowest-paid person who can legally and competently complete the task.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. In most well-run veterinary practices, job duties are performed by any staff member who is available to accomplish the task.

False

In the best-run practice, job duties are pushed down to the lowest level person who can do the job well within the legal scope of practice.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Pet owners who have owned pets previously usually have a good understanding of the care their pet needs.

False

Pet owners, even those who have owned pets before, often do not understand what care is needed for their pets nor why such care is important.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. A separate entrance and exit to the veterinary practice should be provided to make it easier for clients to enter and exit the practice.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. To save time during an appointment, it is acceptable to have a client restrain his or her own pet.

False

Client should not be allowed to retrain their own pets becuase of the risk of being bitten.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. If laboratory samples (e.g., blood, urine) need to be collected during an appointment, the patient should always be taken to the treatment area.

False

If blood, urine, or skin specimens are needed, a technician should obtain these samples in the exam room, or if necessary, move the pet to the treatment area to obtain the samples out of sight of the owner.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. As long as clients wear the proper personal protective equipment, they can accompany their pet into the radiology suite.

False

Clients should not visit the radiology when the x-ray machine is in use because of the risk of exposure to radiation.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Copies of all client communication documents that are sent home with the client should be kept in the medical record.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Pheromones, food enticements, and pharmacologic intervention are strategies to reduce stress for pets visiting a veterinary practice.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. In a mixed-animal practice, the same examination rooms are used for large animal and small animal patients.

False

Examination rooms for large animals and small animals are always separate because large animal examinations require stocks for horses, a squeeze chute and head catch for cattle, and large, special examination tables for restraining cattle on their side for hoof or minor surgery.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Many larger equine practices have a single room used for anesthetic induction and anesthetic recovery.

False

Larger equine practices may have an induction room, an OR with a large-animal radiology machine, and a padded recovery room.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Job descriptions should be used for hiring new employees and for replacing existing employees.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. If an applicant submits a résumé and cover letter to a practice, there is no need to have them also complete a job application.

False

All applicants should fill out a job application (even if they submit a resume) because it contains information not usually seen in resume and supports the practice’s efforts at nondiscrimination.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. When a practice hires a new staff member who has many years of experience from previous work at a different clinic, training is not necessary.

False

Even a doctor, technician, or receptionist has worked in another practice, they won’t know the policies and procedures of a new practice.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Stress can be caused by both positive and negative life events.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. The terms marketing and advertising mean the same thing.

False

Marketing includes all the activities necessary to obtain and retain clients and to enhance the awareness and standing of the practice in the community. The term advertising is generally used to refer to paid announcements in print, broadcast, or electronic media.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. The main goal of external marketing is to attract new clients to the practice.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. If a client does not respond to the first reminder they are sent, the practice should follow up by sending a second reminder and even a third reminder, if needed.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Veterinary practices are relying less on the use of Yellow Book advertisements as a marketing tool.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Unlike in previous years, the majority of veterinary practices today are owned by corporate groups.

False

Most veterinary practices today continue to be owned by veterinarians who also work in the practice.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Pay-by-the-month wellness plans allow clients to pay a monthly amount that covers all treatment provided to their pets during the month the payment is received.

False

Pay-by-the-month wellness plans are essentially annual preventive care plans that include the specific services the practice feels a pet owner should provide to each pet during a year in order to keep it healthy. The total cost of the plan is generally billed to the client in equal monthly installments although they can the services whenever desired during the year.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. To ensure that clients pay their bills in full at the time of service, clinics should not offer payment options to clients.

False

Even if the price and the value of care are acceptable to the client. If he or she doesn’t have the funds immediately available to pay for care, he or she may choose not to purchase the services. Consequently, the availability of payment options is critical. Even a client who is fully committed to providing quality care looks at payment alternatives.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. If a pet is brought to the clinic with life-threatening injuries, the pet should be stabilized before a treatment plan/estimate is prepared.

True

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Pet insurance works in a similar manner to human health insurance.

False

Pet insurance is classified as indemnity insurance and is similar to other forms of indemnity insurance, such as automobile insurance, but it very different from human health insurance.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Ideally, physically counting the inventory in a veterinary practice should be done once a year.

False

Most practices do not count their inventory on a regular basis. At best, they do it once a year for tax purposes. The count done for tax purposes is not sufficient to make sure that an inventory system is working effectively. All items need to be counted on a more regular basis.

Read the following statements and write “True” for true or “False” for false in the blanks provided. If a statement is false, correct the statement to make it true. Some veterinary practices have completely eliminated paper medical records and replaced them with electronic medical records.

True

Increased competition, new technology, increasing numbers of malpractice threats, and shifting client expectations have

a. caused many veterinary practices to go out of business.

b. made effective management of a veterinary practice more complex.

c. caused a significant drop in client compliance. 

d. caused many veterinary practices to hire more staff.

b. more effective management of the veterinary practice more complex

In a typical veterinary practice, the person who acts as the chief executive officer and delegates areas of responsibility is usually the 

a. financial manager. 

b. veterinarian-owner. 

c. hospital administrator. 

d. practice manager.

b. veterinarian-owner

The individual typically responsible for all activities of the practice and running the hospital in conjunction with the practice’s owner(s) is referred to as the

a. office manager.

b. practice manager. 

c. hospital administrator. 

d. associate veterinarian.

c. hospital administrator

The best way to ensure that all of the major pieces of equipment in a veterinary practice are cleaned and maintained on a regular basis is to 

a. assign each member of the team a specific piece of equipment to clean and maintain.

b. make sure that every member of the team takes part in equipment cleaning and maintenance during downtime.

c. hire an outside vendor to clean and maintain the equipment, as most of it is very complex and expensive.

d. assign one person in the practice to clean and maintain all of the equipment on a regular basis.

a. assign each member of the team a specific piece of equipment to clean adn maintain

To minimize the amount of time clients have to wait in the reception area, there should be ___________ examination rooms available for each veterinarian working on a particular day. 

a. one 

b. two 

c. three 

d. four

b. Two

Placement of the laboratory and pharmacy in a central location is very important because 

a. they can be used in place of an examination room during busy periods.

b. they are often used for examining and treating both outpatients and hospitalized patients.

c. they are both important profit centers for the practice.

d. this is where the material safety data sheets should be located.

b. they are often used for examining and treating both outpatients and hospitalized patients.

Practices need to get the maximum use out of their storage area because 

a. this space is usually cluttered and disorganized. 

b. the practice must have enough inventory on hand to meet their clients’ needs.

c. this space typically generates very little income. 

d. it will reduce the chance that inventory becomes outdated.

c. this space typically generates very little income

It is more common to perform a necropsy when a large animal dies than when a small animal dies because 

a. there is a need to determine if the rest of the herd is threatened.

b. large animals are a lot more expensive to replace than small animals.

c. when a large animal dies, the owners are more likely to file a lawsuit against the practice.

d. most small animal owners cannot afford to pay for a necropsy if their pet dies.

a. there is a need to determine if the rest of the herd is threatened.

A client’s judgment regarding the quality of medicine provided at a veterinary practice is generally based on 

a. the cost of the care provided. 

b. the amount of time the doctor spends with the patient.

c. the health status of their pet. 

d. the level of client services.

d. the level of client services

One of the most common selection criteria used by clients when choosing a veterinary practice is 

a. the fees charged. 

b. the location. 

c. the number of staff. 

d. the hours of operation.

b. the location

Complaints against veterinary practices are usually caused by 

a. long wait times in the examination room and/or reception area.

b. the staff or DVM making a medical mistake. 

c. the fees charged. 

d. ineffective communication.

d. ineffective communication

Forward booking is defined as 

a. booking a patient’s next appointment before he or she leaves the practice.

b. moving a confirmed appointment to a later date. 

c. completing scheduling for all appointments for set periods of time, typically two weeks to a month.

d. setting all appointments at regular intervals, typically 20 to 30 minutes.

a. booking a patient’s next appointment before he or she leaves the practice

A document that is a visual representation of how authority and responsibility flow between the various areas of the practice or practice staff is called a(n)

a. job description.

b. business plan.

c. organizational chart.

d. employee manual.

c. organizational chart

It is best to base employee compensation on 

a. performance. 

b. seniority. 

c. experience. 

d. education.

a. performance

One of the most important reasons for holding regular employee evaluations is to 

a. reprimand the employee for not following practice protocols.

b. judge whether or not the employee’s goals were met. 

c. determine if the employee deserves a raise. 

d. improve the employee’s performance.

d. improve the employee’s performance

Which one of the following statements is the most accurate when it comes to describing marketing for a veterinary practice? 

a. Marketing is any effort the practice makes to increase sales and generate a profit.

b. Marketing is any effort the practice makes to retain or obtain clients and make the practice more visible in the community.

c. Marketing is advertising the services the practice offers using tools such as Yellow Book ads and a website.

d. Marketing is any effort the practice makes to offer new and different products and services to existing and new clients.

b. Marketing is any effort the practice makes to retain or obtain clients and make the practice more visible in the community.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

a. does not have jurisdiction over practices with fewer than eight employees. 

b. requires annual hazard and chemical inspections. 

c. is primarily concerned with large-animal practices, particularly mobile practices. 

d. requires that all veterinary technicians and technologists receive continuing education on safety practices at least once every three years.

b. requires annual hazard and chemical inspections

A veterinary practice’s website should 

a. generate a return on investment.

b. be developed by an outside professional. 

c. be updated on a regular basis.

d. include a list of commonly phone-shopped fees.

c. be updated on a regular basis

One of the financial tasks that many practices will not do on their own is 

a. establish KPIs.

b. determine profitability. 

c. calculate the practice’s net worth.

d. prepare a yearly tax return.

d. prepare a yearly tax return

A financial report that lists a practice’s assets and liabilities is called a(n) 

a. balance sheet.

b. net worth statement. 

c. profit and loss statement.

d. income statement.

a. balance sheet

21. A financial report used to evaluate the financial performance of a practice for a specified period of time is called a(n) 

a. profitability statement.

b. cash flow statement. 

c. net revenue statement.

d. income statement.

d. income statement

22. Which of the following is not typically a key performance indicator established by a practice? a. Average transaction charge

b. Overtime hours 

c. Continuing education credits completed

d. Revenue by category

c. Continuing education credits completed

23. One of the main reasons inventory management is so important in a veterinary practice is that 

a. inventory is a significant expense for a practice.

b. inventory accounts for most of the revenue generated by a practice.

c. extra inventory must be kept hand to ensure the practice never runs out of anything.   

d. most items kept in inventory have a slim profit on margin

a. inventory is a significant expense for a practice

Describe the differences among an office manager, a practice manager, and a hospital administrator.

An office manager oversees only the front office or reception staff. A practice manager oversees all employees, with the exception of medical decisions made by veterinaries. A hospital administrator oversees all employees and decisions, even medical decisions.

What’s a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM)?

A CVPM is an individual who has completed a practice manager certification program offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA).

Why should clients not be allowed to restrain their own pets in the veterinary hospital?

They could be bitten, which could damage the human-animal bond, and result in liability for the practice.