Veterinary Staff Shortage

There is currently a shortage of about 5,000 veterinarians in the United States, and that number is expected to grow to 15,000 by the year 2030. Many blame the shortage on the expense of veterinary school and the challenges and stresses doctors face once they are on the job. The staffing shortage even goes beyond veterinarians, with many clinics now operating with fewer technicians and office staff than what is ideal. The result: millions of pets without enough professionals to care for them.

As a private practice owner, you may be wondering what you can do to keep your clinic running smoothly even when understaffed. Here are some suggestions offered by 360coveragepros.com:

• Be more efficient – cross train employees so they can help each other perform daily duties; start each day with an assignment review; outsource tasks that don’t have to be completed in the clinic
• Strengthen work culture – from the moment you open a clinic you should know what you stand for and the feeling you want to evoke to your staff and clients; make your mission clear to all; communicate openly and frequently providing feedback and direction; encourage employees to learn new schools; promote a healthy work/life balance
• Better compensation – give employees a boost through raises and incentives; offer other forms such as flex time or benefits

The bigger issue at hand, of course, is how to get more doctors and technicians into the veterinary field. Many experts believe that is a problem that needs to be solved at the academic level.

Are you ready to bring on new hires to fill the gaps at your clinic? Give me a call and I’ll discuss how my team has earned a 93 percent success rate in bringing quality candidates to our clients within the first 90 days of beginning the recruiting process.